Restraint
by Aikoia
Summary: AU. Eventual LxLight. Raito is anxious - black, white, and faded blue filling his peripheral vision. Ryuzaki is tense, thrilled – Raito-kun will be his soon, after all. Kidnap fic.
1. Prologue

**Restraint**

**Summary:** AU. Eventual LxLight. Raito is anxious - black, white, and faded blue filling his peripheral vision. Ryuzaki is tense, thrilled – Raito-kun will be his soon, after all. Kidnap fic.

**Rated M: **Adult themes and situations. Language. Eventual sexual situations.

**AN:** This is a Alternate Universe fanfiction – so L and Light will be slightly ooc in comparison to the manga/anime. I will explain, though, why L acts the way he does in this fic– there will be a bit of psychological exploration into L's mind. Oh, and BB, Mello, Near etc will be featuring later on, as well as the concept of a Death Note, depending. Anyway, on with the prologue.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Death Note in any way shape, or form. But this plot idea is totally mine.

**Prologue**

The air is frosty. Flakes lethargically descending, white lining my hair. Like blackberry shortcake. I'm perching, shaded in my alleyway. On my bin. Waiting for that flare of chestnut that dispatches thrills up my spinal column.

96% chance he's turning the corner across the street now. 2% chance his sister, Sayu-chan, has had another unfortunate incident with the neighbour's cat. 1% chance he's waiting for Takeda-san. 0.45% he's playing truant. I've assigned 0.55% to unforeseeable events, illness, plague, car accidents – though he was fine when I observed Yagami-san leaving for work 10 minutes prior.

Ah, there he is.

Raito-kun, delicate arms swinging, pendulum-like, by his sides. Head, slipping left, right, left again. Nervous? Has he seen me?

Negative. I am careful. _I_ am of a higher intelligence than him, though he regards me as a_ 'deplorable mendicant'_ - if my memory is correct. Which it is.

He is directly opposite my refuge now. Fawn eyes twitching like a frightened critter. Almost seems like he has perceived me, and is conscious of my operation.

A thumb slips listlessly against my taught lips. Coal eyes aching irrationally, illogically, to meet his. No, I am too well concealed. He has moved from the vicinity, around the other corner, toward To-Oh.

Air escapes me expeditiously, fingers eagerly slipping into the pocket of my dilapidated jeans, closing around the sweet. It glides to my lips, my ruby tongue slinking out to taste its glucose-encrusted surface, my mind wandering to his sepia hair.

Soon, _very_ soon I'll have him to talk to. Him to entertain me. Him to control. Him to nourish my _vengeance_.

Amane's party is in 2 days, 8 hours, 23 minutes, 6 seconds. But I will wait until he is inattentive, unwary. Not like now.

There is a 15% chance he won't attend. The lollypop slips in between my teeth, my feet shuffling against the gelid bin. But then again, an 84.3% chance that he will. 0.6% that he will vacate as soon as Misa squeals. It has happened before.

Sixth time's the charm, I've heard.

I spring from the bin, speed belying my malnourished body. I must proceed to my next observation point. Raito-kun will nearly be there. I do not want to miss him.

I want to see him.

I desire for him.

I need him to… fill the void that brother left.


	2. Chapter One: Paranioa

**Restraint**

**Chapter One: Paranoia**

"_RAITO_!"

…

"_Raitooo! Dad's going!"_

I nudged my head out from the warm folds of my doona. Sayu… almost deafening at – my hazel eyes peeped wearily at the blinking lights on my desk- seven in the morning. I slipped hazily out of the snug blankets, bare feet touching the ecru carpet as her shrill voice bounded up the stairs to my ears.

Deftly I removed my black cotton pants, sashaying over to the wardrobe. I had a To-Oh psychology lecture today, didn't I? Takada-san was going to meet me at the university coffee shop. How… _monotonous_. I briskly donned custard coloured slacks, a white button-up shirt and a coat. No tie today - I wasn't in the mood.

Sayu's voice halted as I tramped down the stairs. I ignored her sisterly jibes about how _neat_, and _tidy_ my hair was this morning, and how I'd '_probably spent allll this tiiiime doing it in the mirooooor,_' in favour of indulging a moue expression. She squealed, piglet-esque, darting into the kitchen and calling out a last goodbye to our father.

I stepped outside, skin prickling at the frosty atmosphere.

"Ah, Raito, I hope Sayu didn't wake you? I told her you didn't need to see-"

"It's fine, dad, I have to get up anyway." I cut him off, attempting to smile warmly. It wasn't like this _didn't_ happen every morning.

"Ah, well yes.. Uh, I'm going to be home late – there's a new case we're working on – confidential for now, but we'll probably need your grade A intellect for it."

He emitted a proud chuckle, hand fondly moving to ruffle my tidy hair. I grin, more genuine this time; and his lips upturn in response.

"I'd better depart now, have fun at university – try not to get bored, I know it's still a little easy for you." He winked once, and I let out a coffee-deprived chuckle, arms curling around my sides as he moved toward the car.

"Bye dad!" My voice sounded gravelly, cheerfulness ringing false in the mute snow. I turn to go inside, quivering as the white flecks evaporate against my warm cheeks.

Then, I felt it.

Eyes.

Like eyes on me, _surveying_ me. I tensed, head pivoting to the street. Snow covered every roof, dimming the smell of morning cooking. Houses - warm lights glinting like beacons against the grey sky. Nothing.

God, it's too early for paranoia.

**月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月**

"Whatcyah doin' today, Raito?" Sayu slurred, chomping down cereal, luminescent eyes glancing up at my fatigued ones.

"University. Oh, and I'm seeing Takada-san. Nothing interesting."

She squeaked at my girlfriend's name, springing up and down on her chair.

"_Nothing_ interesting? You're seeing Taka-chan! It's _supposed_ to be interesting when you see your girlfriend!"

I dodge her launched oat, chuckling despite myself as our mother crossed into the threshold, furrowed hands occupied by coffee. Ah, finally.

"Here you go honey – just how you like it. I'll be out in the afternoon shopping if you come home, so don't be worried if I'm not here."

Her eyes crinkle. The tart taste dribbles down my throat as I slump further back into my chair – _domestic bliss_.

"Oh! Oh! You're soooo going to Misa Amane's party? Right?"

Sayu popped up, grabbing her plate, sliding on her socks toward the kitchen. I groan a negative. I can hear her pout from here.

"But _Raaaaitoooo_! Even _I_ know about it! It's going to be, like, the biggest To-Oh party _eveeerrrr!_"

I took a long swig of the bitter liquid, eyeing her wearily as she re-entered the dining room. Takada-san had an identical opinion to Sayu, but she has ulterior motives. Finds it hysterical how Misa tosses herself on me, relishes in proclaiming her claim to everyone.

"I bet _Ta-ka-chaaan _wants to go! It could be like a date!"

"A date with a hundred other people?"

Mum chortled, eyes glinting, catching mine. I turn them heavenward. Sayu stood by the door proudly, hands on her hips.

"You _know_ what I mean! I'm watching out for your university image, you know! And it's _social suicide _to miss one of Misa-Misa's parties! She's faaamous!" Sayu punctured each emphasised word with a stomp of her left foot.

"I hadn't noticed." I retorted dryly, downing the rest of my cup and rising. Seven twenty five. I have enough time to walk to To-Oh.

"Fine. Be that way!"

She snorted, nose in the air, striding exaggeratedly up the stairs.

"I will!" I call, more to rile her up than to be difficult. Really, as if I don't know what isn't or is _'social suicide'_. It's just... I have a bad premonition; although that could merely be the rising paranoia I've been experiencing. That or _Misa._

That little she-demon sends tremors up my spine.

Yeah, it's probably because it's hosted by her.

At any rate, what could possibly go wrong?

**月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月**

I bundle myself into my narrow coat, glowering as the glacial wind grazes my pronounced cheek bones. To-Oh would be in holidays soon, and the preliminary step toward my desired career achieved; though it's moronic that I have to attend University to become a detective. It's obvious to even _Matsuda_ that I'm intelligent enough already. But still, dad says it'll be '_favouritism_' if they gave me a job. Even though I already solve most of their cases.

I smirked, turning the corner, only to feel a familiar thrill up my spine. The chilled hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.

God.. I _hate _this sensation.

I cockily swung my head around, trying to diagnose the cause of my discomfort. Snowflakes swirl to the ground, the oppressive sky making me feel claustrophobic.

It's not anything, Raito, geez... You're just… worried about Misa, that's it… That party is just consuming your thoughts.

I forcefully exhaled, compelling my neck to stay rigid, and turned the next corner. Everyday, for the last month or so I've had these… obtuse _preceptions_, if you will. I'm somewhat anxious for my sanity. That, or someone is actually stalking me, watching me, _waiting _for me.

I pause, tossing my head to the side, my beautiful locks twirling in the wind.

No, that's just… idiotic. I can see _why _someone would trail me. I mean, I am the highest scoring university student in the whole of Tokyo, maybe even Japan; a junior high school tennis champion; and exceedingly striking in my mirror's faithful opinion. But… most people don't go such efforts to meet me. I usually exert a friendly, approachable aura. People _like_ that - when you seem harmless.

Truth _is_ overrated after all.

**月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月**

"Raito-san!"

My hazel orbs met her obsidian ones, an obligatory grin pulling at my lips. Her face brightened – easy to please.

"Hello Takada-san, how are you feeling?"

She stopped beside me, brown coat ruffling against the icy breeze.

"Better, thank you Raito, my fever's gone down completely."

She matched my gait, proceeding toward the lecture theatre with me. The snow contrasts well with her stark ebony hair.

"That's good to hear," I murmured, hands fiddling in the pockets of my coat. I wonder when she'll-

"Are you… going to Misa's party?"

That was quick. Her eyes are cast on the sleet ground, mine observing the nervous nipping of her bottom lip.

_Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. _

That feeling is back again.

"Would you like me to go?" I enquired arrogantly, voice belied by my genial smile. I refused to indulge my overactive imagination, keeping my neck taught.

She laughed; a musical sound. "Yes, I think it will be…" She's visibly searching for the correct adjective. "…Enjoyable." Her eyes slithered to mine.

I suppressed a snort. For you perhaps. You do enjoy flaunting me to Misa, ogling as her azure eyes darken, voice prancing up an octave as she screeches '_Raito-kuun would be better with ME'. _

"I'll go, but only for you, Takada-san."

I observed her delighted smile, conscious of my pointless romantic phrase's full effect. It was almost… _tedious_ how predictable women like her were. _Frustrating _to think that I would eventually be wed with someone akin to her – unstimulating, uninspiring, and brainless in comparison to me.

I shuddered compulsively, expeditiously mouthing _I'm cold_ when her eyes widen.

What a horrible future.


	3. Chapter Two: Apprehension

**Restraint**

**Chapter Two: Apprehension**

It was nauseating. The bodies writhing, thrashing, struggling; music throbbing, exploding with the ecstasy of the dancers. Misa's party was being held in the windowless hall of Tokyo's ancient, hazardous prison of which anyone could utilise for the right fee. Strobe lights probed the mangle of university students – vermillion, sapphire, gold. This was all seizure material.

"It's hot in here."

Takada-san's quiet voice was hidden by the roaring music. I craned my neck to glance to her, as she hovered between the disturbing quiet of the jail lawn and the forceful racket of the mangled mass inside. She had donned a glittering scarlet cocktail dress; almost too petite for her form.

"What?"

She shifted toward me, affronted at the sheer noise.

"I said it's HOT!"

I stared uncomprehendingly at her as she shrugged in annoyance, teeth nibbling at cherry lips. I hesitated before wrapping an arm awkwardly around her lean waist, dragging her forward with amusement. This had been _her_ idea after all.

We glided through the unwieldy throng, aiming for a stand of beverages - the furthest location from the blaring speakers. Takada peered into the distance, beamed, and mouthed disjointed syllables at me before leaving my limp grasp; proceeding toward something. I shrugged with one shoulder, progressing toward our goal without her; grabbing an unopened bottle of _"Asahi Super Dry"_ when I arrived. I used my free hand to pry it open, relishing in the sweet, barely audible, _hiss_ it made. Misa, after all, was somewhere within the confines of this crowd. I was undoubtedly going to require alcohol.

I couldn't imagine what I was going to achieve with this… _endeavour_. In fact, I could barely even think - Suga Shikao's new debut single was disrupting my usually impeccable thought processes. I glanced around for Takada and saw her next to a pale, smirking man with shoulder length black, neatly ordered, hair. I advanced toward them, picking up another bottle of alcohol with my right hand; shivering as the condensation trickled onto my supple fingers.

"Who's this, Takada-san?" I enquired, relinquishing the glass bottle into her slender, welcoming hands. She ogled me for a moment through the wailing music, before brightening in comprehension, lips upturned.

'_Teru Mikami' _she articulated, hand wildly thrashing toward him. He inclined his head politely, extending his hand. After a beat I seized it, smiling disarmingly. It was covered in metabolic moisture and I barely suppressed a shudder, my cleanliness senses tingling painfully. The music slowly simmered out, replaced with an awkward stillness.

"Raito Yagami, I presume," he muttered, loud enough for both Takada and I to discern. "Your fame precedes you."

I chuckled falsely, electing a genuine laugh from him.

"Takada-san talks about you a great deal."

"_Mikami!_" She drew out the 'ah' sound, blushing beneath her painted cheeks.

"It's true, and very flattering." He hoisted one shoulder, releasing it instantly, eyes glinting with joviality. Takada took refuge behind one hand as I grasped her waist.

"I find it-"

My spine tingled.

I inspected the crowd to my right, then left, halting in my response. The music launched again, seemingly more sedated - or perhaps that was just me.

Inky, haphazard hair.

Dark, reflective eyes - across the hall.

Were they seeking out my own?

He was standing against the rigid, chilly stone wall, hands edgily tucked behind his back. He appeared to be mimicking a statue, or a tree, framed by his obtusely large white shirt… shiny orbs _surveying _me. The throng purposely avoided his presence, drifting around him as if he didn't belong.

Mikami's easy smile dropped as he peered at my ashen face, before following my gaze to the messy-haired boy.

"That's Misa's foster brother I think. He's mute or something," he murmured vaguely, uneasily; trying to repossess my attention.

"What?"

Fawn orbs transfixed with glass ones.

"THAT," Mikami yelped out, arm gesturing in a poetic fashion, "is MISA-MISA's foster brother! He's MUTE."

"…Foster brother?"

Mikami relaxed when I swiveled back to him, shifting tentatively closer.

"Yeah, her dad cares for foster children - Kinta-kun told me. He thought this one was intelligent, but the kid refuses to say anything," Mikami stage whispered with delight, as if and I would praise his extensive wisdom with a doggie treat and a pat.

"Wasn't Misa adopted? That's what I heard." Takada chimed in, head moving closer to ours, creating a small cluster separate from the swirling colours.

"That's right, and now her foster dad's rich! Kinta-kun mentioned that he takes in older teens in the hope that they've got a talent he can exploit ."

Takada's fingers zipped to her tinted lips.

"No way!" She gasped, "I heard that…"

I tuned them both out, hunting for this mute youth with a growing fascination. No, he'd moved. Gone from his place and into the writhing, animalistic students. Did he notice me? Was that… _instant…_merely produced by the alcohol tainting my blood, which in turn caused his monochromatic clothing (so unlike everyone else) to attract my observation?

He seemed… familiar.

**月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月**

I casually leaned against the beverages table, Takada and Mikami idly chatting beside me about university, friends, music and other mindless, trivial matters. We'd been huddling in our refuge for around thirty minutes, and I had not yet encountered that traumatic blond hair or her mysterious sibling.

"_And GUESS WHAT! Misa-Misa just got a part in the new movie with __Hosokawa Shigeki! Isn't Misa-Misa great?" _

Ah, the she-demon doth make her appearance. Takada's face instantaneously glistened with delight, hands causally fiddling with her twinkling dress. Mikami looked miffed at her unexpected speechlessness.

I hesitated, fixed, before deciding that this was not an intelligent decision. I'd rather a vexed Takada than a squawking Misa.

"Takada-san, I'm going to the toilet."

I slinked off hurriedly, back tense, musing over whether she heard me. No matter, I wasn't sticking around to face her dissatisfaction.

The toilets were a insightful idea, as Misa's essence wouldn't penetrate such a male space - thank God. I trailed around, adhering to the fringes of the pack, avoiding the epileptic flashing. The toilets were around here somewhere.

I spied a rusted sign beside two people locked in frantic, passionate _osculation_, and I briefly visualised doing the same with Takada. It was a horrendously disturbing notion and I thrust it from my thoughts - she wasn't _stimulating _enough for me.

I attempted to unlatch the door, exerting increasing force until it delivered a satisfying _hissss_, and I sidled inside. The room it was a little wanting for my tastes. Locking the door behind me, I moved toward fractured mirror opposite the entrance.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

The bathroom echoed, filled with an ominous atmosphere due to _something_ I had difficulty identifying. The dim lighting perhaps, akin to some sort of cheap horror film? The cavernous size? The subtle sounds of breath-

Breathing?

I gulped, twiddling with the hem of my emerald jumper. This was not the right setting for a panic attack. I tiptoed (quite irrationally) to my destination, glancing at my surroundings through it. Nothing was there, as per usual.

_Nothing that you can see._

Nothing. At. All.

I ran fingers through my hazel locks, arranging them in an orderly pattern, my heartbeat declining to its regular speed. There was nothing to be worried about. What could transpire in a _bathroom_ of all places?

I snapped a comb out from my back pocket, running it calmingly through my hair as I closed my eyes, trying in vain to construct a tranquil aura.

_CLANK._

I yelped, pivoting, back against the grimy sink, eyes gaping at…_darkness_.

"The lights must have gone off," I laughed breathlessly, speaking loudly in an absurd effort to trick myself into being relaxed . I leaned pseudo-laxly against the grimy sink underneath the mirror, edgy forefingers gracing against slime. "Yuuck," I growled, lifting off the disgusting porcelain, wiping them across my jeans, concentrating on the soft resonation of my voice. _Creepy_.

I fumbled for the wall, sliding my hand toward the presently undetectable entrance. I wished I hadn't locked myself in now.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

I stilled. My footsteps were sounding less like reverberations and more like e-

_Tap._

Hysterics engulfed my chest, causing me to cower childishly. I concentrated on footsteps that _were not mine_ ringing in the hush. Where were they coming from? What was happening? Woul-

No.

This was…completely un-Ratio-like! I never _cower. _I never get _paranoid._ I certainly never get _hysterical _like Sayu with the neighbour's cat!

I had to regain my composure. It was completely illogical to assume that someone was here with me and planning on… _incapacitating_ me. If anything, it was probably a narcotized delinquent who believed I was a cop and was trying to-

_Tap._

…_Tap._

I cracked, shouting thunderously, bolting toward the indiscernible door. This is a thoroughly un-Raito-like situation, therefore it is exceedingly logical for me to behave in an un-Raito-like manner…right?

I yanked at the lock, my ears pricking in the ungodly silence. It was jammed.

_Thump! Thump! Thuuump!_

"Hello!" I yelled, banging my forearms against the door, panic focusing in my body; adrenaline making my heart beat become erratic and my pupils dilate in the darkness. "Hello! Someone please! _Help! Helphelphe-"_

**Crack.**

_..lp._


	4. Chapter Three: Horror

**Restraint**

**Chapter Three: Horror**

_**16 years ago.**_

_Creeeeak. Creeeeak. Creeeeak._

My padded hands sifted through the sandbox as I disconnected individual grains, inspecting them numbly as they plummeted back down to their ocean. I glanced to brother, a (so much _younger_) duplicate of me. His wailing had finally ceased to mere crying, and he sat now on the rasping swing, fingers tensing and releasing against the frosted metal, reliving the _horror_ over and over. I scanned around us at the shanty houses that were valiantly resisting the howling wind. _They_ hadn't found us yet. Good. But soon, _very _soon if he refused to alight from this playground they would grab us, take us, _separate us. _

I would _not _let that happen. Little brother was _my _responsibility now.

He was weak, that was why he was still bawling. That was why he refused to leave this _stupid_ park that mother took us to when we first relocated from England, a week ago. It was faulty to assume that loitering here would bring them back. Faulty and incorrect and _flawed. _Like Near - quiet brother, emotionless brother, that little piece of _shit_.

Near had been the youngest, the treasured one. Mother said there was something wrong with his cognitive functioning. That was code for defective.

"_Stop hurting your little brother! He's autistic! He can't help it! Why won't you __**understand**__?"_

I understood fine. He was malfunctioning, he needed to be fixed. I was trying to help, I was trying to _repair_ him - _they_ didn't understand. But that no longer mattered. Near was dead. Mother was dead. Father was dead. They deserved to die… for not understanding _me_.

My left hand slipped into my pocket, fingering the gun I obtained from our home. I considered hurting brother, he didn't understand either; he would just curl up and observe in silence when I attempted to mend Near. It would be interesting to watch him shriek in agony and plunge from that swing like _sand_… That would be adequate revenge. But no, my fingers relinquished their hold on the gun, sliding listlessly into the grains again. I loved him, and you don't shoot things you love. Near would shoot things he loved. I was _not_ faulty like he was.

"Let's go." I murmured, growling as his identical eyes unleashed more wretched droplets, head already shaking vigorously. "Let's _go!_"

"Please…"

I flopped to the ground unceremoniously, round and warm in my tartan coat, avoiding his distressed look. I hate it when he begs. He's so pathetic. I _hate_ him.

_Taptaptaptaptap._

Footsteps?

I sprung up, diving for the bushes opposite the sandbox, ignoring the leaves prickling my cerise cheeks. My _moronic_ brother froze, charcoal stare turning to the source of the noise, shuddering in his coat.

A heavy set dog with one ear missing and mattered brown fur paused to gaze at brother before continuing on, furry paws tapping against the ice road. Lucky, this time.

"Why didn't you duck?" My voice, monotone as usual, enquired. His pupils glazed over, toes flicking at the snow beneath his shoes. No response, huh? At least he knew it was a _stupid_ move. I sighed, bored of the anxiety gripping my stomach. If he refused to budge, I would _wound_ him until he did, I _would_ control him if he didn't listen to me.

"You know what'll happen if they find us?" I asked slyly, rising out of the trembling leaves and proceeding over to the swing set. I knew I had his attention, he'd stopped playing with the ground. "They'll take you and they'll take me, and they'll take us away from each other, and we'll never see each other again and.. they'll hurt you so, _so, _bad you'll wish you were _dead_."

"N-No!" He whimpered like an animal, shaking his head again, shutting his eyes in an attempt to deny the truth. His legs curled up onto the wooden seat, body assuming a foetal position as protection against my cruel words.

"That's why we have to stay together, that's why you've gotta let me look after us. I love you, I don't want you to die." He nodded, face scrunching up in an unflattering manner as I spoke, body still faced away from me. I hauled him into an awkward cuddle, relaxing as he uncurled and coiled around me, moaning softly into my neck. His soft black hair mingled with mine. "You don't want me to die either, right? You've gotta look after me too…"

He stood slowly, shakily, gripping tight onto my hand while watching me with grief, heartache and beautiful adoration. I grinned softly down at him, tugging his flaccid arm toward the park entrance. He came willingly, deserting his _faulty_ attachment to this place, reaffirming his connection with me.

I softly murmured calming words as we trailed down the street, in the opposite direction to our recent family house. It was ironic, really, that our family fled England so that we three children would not be removed from our parent's care; but instead of the safety Japan was designed to bring, death only resulted. I giggled desperately, ignoring little brother's panicked scrutiny. Very ironic indeed.

**月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月**

Brother was skinnier now, compared to the day they were killed. He still mourned at night, though, when he thinks I'm sleeping. I never sleep.

We had been concealing ourselves in an alleyway, not far from our old home. It was adjacent to a hectic road, swirling with colour and motion and happiness. Brother liked to observe, to _taste_, these activities of which we are no longer privy to. His eyes unbearably trailed the cosy little boys with their radiant mothers, eating sweet treats (like the ones I used to treasure) from the candy shop opposite. I stole some for brother once, my hands deftly sliding into the jar of cheap lollies out the front.

They made him cry. I didn't do it again.

We usually scavenged in the Japanese diner's garbage container down the street for food. This neighbourhood was tattered, and we had to fight other vagrants for our meals. I was usually vicious, and they stayed well away from my keen nails and teeth.

Little brother liked Western food the best – eggs, bacon, juice, butter, strawberry jam - they reminded him of when we were carefree and untroubled. A time when sustenance automatically came to us, and we did not have to fight for our survival, nor hide away from _them_. We barely ever ate hot food now, not unless we were deft in being in the right place at the right time. I had yet to master this skill.

I refused to let brother beg for titbits; someone could easily report us and capture him. I constantly tried to explain this to brother, but he merely sobbed over and over and _over_. I loathed it when he whimpered, it was so frustrating; it reminded me of Near.

I _hate_ Near. I _hate_ brother.

**月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月**

We've had nothing to eat this evening - the older, larger street people snarled at us when we neared the rubbish disposal. It had smelt warm, pleasant. I lunged toward them, fantasies of a hot meal consuming me, brother hovering in the passage entrance. He was a coward, and refused to fight. Without me, he would have _expired_.

Today, though, my sharp nails and growls did nothing to deter them. The meal was too good to let the '_fukin' brats' _near. They relished in my tormented fury as I trudged away from the food, right arm hanging uselessly by my side, one eyelid closed and bruising. I had failed brother, but he forgave me. He always did. He loved me, I loved him.

We had to travel far for our meal - down into the dazzling, seedy side of the neighbourhood. My brother's pale skin was heightened against the ebony sky and flashing lights in the place where Mother told us never to traverse – as _"people will injure you and steal you away from me"_. But now we were hungry, and people had already hurt us. She and all her infinite wisdom were a mere dream.

At first everything went well, I located a restaurant near to an electronics store - half eaten, western style hamburgers littered the alley between the two. We gorged ourselves, brother peering at me with idolisation as the television blared from the store; a reporter describing a new child star named '_Ryuga Hideki'._

Then, I noticed them hovering by the entrance, blocking our escape. Brother was closer to them, savouring in warm reminiscences that the meal conjured. They skulked toward him, and I yelped – too late.

"_BROTHER!"_ His cooling burger dropped to the ground with a sickening _splat._ Ruined and inedible now, his wounded eyes darted to me, hands and legs flailing uselessly. They had grabbed his coat, tearing it faintly, sinful grey pupils glinting in amusement. _Demons._

"Let him go!" My voice was softer, more fearful than I hoped. I would not be able to rescue him with such a pathetic utterance. They disregarded me completely, jiggling my brother up and down, gurgling at his squeals.

"_A little on the small side, but he could be of use."_

"_I dunno…he looks too young, five? Six? People aren't interested if they're too young."_

"_When we clean him u-"_

"I SAID LET HIM _GO_!"

They turned to me unhurriedly, as if they had only just noticed my presence. It made me angry. Very, _very_ angry. My fingers formed fists, and I strode toward them, my face expressionless - masking my hellish rage.

"_And who are you to make demands?" _

"_Yeah, who are you, b r a t?"_

Their words did nothing to ease the situation - sleazy expressions against the inky sky seared into my mind. This seemed like a horrendous _nightmare._

"Let him go or I'll hurt you _bad,_" I murmured menacingly, flinching at their thunderous laughter, uninjured arm slipping into my left pocket. I fingered the hard, cold metal there, wondering if they were worth it; wondering whether I should bother waiting; wondering if this was something Near would do.

"_Oh, will you now?" _His hand progressed to brother's neck, asphyxiating him. Brother's nimble fingers, (I recollected the sensation of them lovingly tightening around my own body) clawed at this man's brutal grip.

"I-I'll shoot you." My voice mimicked steel as I withdrew the pistol, ignoring my parents' dried blood on the hilt. Father had tried to defend mother and Near, but had pathetically failed. "I'll shoot you dead." I felt my heart harden, sliding the gun's barrel so it was aligned with my brother's _demon. _They both froze, as if weighing my words, pondering whether I had enough _gut_ to hurt them.

A tense moment passed, before their shoulders slackened. They thought I wouldn't shoot. They thought I was a _coward_. I leered, an insane snigger tumbling from my lips. If I was going to let them live before, I wasn't now. Not since they instigated I was _weak_. They noticed the change in me instantly.

"_Woah now brat, we don't want no trouble, take the dumb kid. He's too little anyway." _The man chucked brother toward me, his friend backing out of the laneway, judging whether they would have to dash away. Little brother crawled toward me, quivering and downcast.

They still hadn't apologised for calling me names. That wasn't _acceptable behaviour_. I aimed my weapon, hesitating. The man knew I was going to fire - that I was going to kill him regardless; that they had pushed me over the edge. I giggled psychotically, jittering forefinger jerking at the trigger.

_**Bang.**_

Then, silence. Brother rose, gaping as the body omitted a sickening _thump_… like the hamburger. My hand stilled the gun, and I ogled the figure as ebony liquid poured out of his chest, air exiting his body like a kettle. The tranquil moment passed and brother gasped at the shrieks of his ex-captor's friend.

"_Taku! TAKU! Oh God Taku!" _His grey eyes turned to me. I could feel his wrath penetrating my every pore. _"I'll get you! I'LL GET YOU!"_

We fled, brother dragging me along, my legs stiff with shock; mind filled with fear, disgust, nausea. I murdered. I was a _murderer_.

"It's not your fault," his voice, soft, breath beside my ear, making my thoughts turn. He presented me with his small, self-conscious grin that belied his shuddering, wet features. Brother was attempting to mask his fear for me, to impress me. I felt more tenderness for him than ever before.

The gun was sweaty in my hand, and served to wrench me from my musings. I disregarded thoughts of the murder, and instead focused on where to conceal us. I had only executed one man, so the other would tell _them_ about us. The consequences of this situation hit me - they could take him away now; they could kill brother in revenge. _"An eye for an eye," _my father's ominous words came. A life for a life. But then, wasn't I, weren't we, owed three lives? For the ones that we lost? It was fair then. I had two more mur- no, not murders when they're _owed_- I had two more _kills_ before I would become a murderer.

"_Hahaha! You've got to see this!"_

…Children's voices? I swivelled my head around, pausing quickly, black hair whipping in the wind as brother collided with me. There. A little entrance at the end of an backstreet. This was the _slums_ side of town - we had trailed far from our original home. Very far. I hesitated, spurred on by the sound of sirens. Trailing us… in order to capture us? To split us apart?

We crept down the passage, and I propelled brother into the opening, observing him carefully. He nodded from inside; it was safe enough to camouflage us now. The noises continued. Three kids? Four? More? It was hard to discern.

I slid after brother, finding myself in a compact, dirty storage room, sounds diffusing through another entrance. The sirens approached, brother tensing beside me, huddling his face under my arm. I comforted him breathlessly, wondering if the was the _end_.

The sirens receded. We breathed twin sighs of relief.

"_I'll just grab some…"_

I spun around, coal gaze widening. No! They were going to fi-

The door opened to goggles, a cigarette, and blinding red tinted brown hair.

"Huh?" He (undeniably male, older than us) murmured unintelligently. Brother refused to move from my grip, quaking violently now.

The din discontinued. I noticed three older children behind this male, surrounding a fire inside a rusted drum; their gazes all hostile. A blond bellowed from the separate room, causing brother to yelp.

"WHO THE _FUCK _ARE YOU?"


	5. Chapter Four: Foreboding

**Restraint**

**Chapter Four: Foreboding**

_**16 years ago.**_

_Knock. Knock._

"Aiber! You in there?"

…_What?_

I was roused from the confinements of my blissful sleep by an irritating voice, one that was exceedingly familiar. I wrenched my cheek from the hardened slobber across my desk. Oh yeah, I supposed to be working. That voice was… Teru. I checked my watch - three in the afternoon - I hadn't had anything to do all day. Social services weren't in high demand. Ever.

"Come in," I rasped, kneading my bleary eyes and glancing across my pristine office to the grimy door. Teru entered, a mini-Teru trailing him. He was much shorter than me, about half my height, but that was mostly because I was a gigantic Westerner, and he Japanese. Teru had mandatory cropped black hair, contrasting greatly with my flaxen tresses and, right now, an acutely apologetic expression. That either meant he desired for me to let him off earlier or he fancied to dump something on me. He gestured to the serious figure behind him – it was the latter then.

"Hey, Aiber. This is my son, Teru Mikami," he turned to the miniture (no older than ten) boy in question, who glared up at his father reproachfully. "This is uncle Aiber, you remember me telling you about uncle Aiber, right?" The boy didn't respond, merely turning from his father's pleading stares.

"Aiber-"

"How long for?" I interjected, exhaling. I was coffee deprived and not in the mood for his winding excuses today. He knew what I meant, and instantly brightened.

"For an hour or two… I need to meet someone," he looked shifty – it was probably a date. Teru divorced recently – his former wife apparently couldn't handle his personality. But then again, he _did_ have a habit of forcing _his_ responsibilities onto other people. "Will you be… Uh, ok?"

I inclined my head, scrutinising the brat. He held my gaze unflinchingly – mature for his age then. Teru twitched a few times, before tactfully exiting the room without a goodbye to his son. Didn't look like they had a very _happy_ relationship.

"So… Mikami, huh?" I tried. I worked well with children, used to love them; but after the fiftieth abused, suicidal minor you understand that there's no point in getting attached when they're likely to get worse, not better. I was cautious with my _attachments_ now.

"Teru Mikami." He replied solemnly, fingers twiddling with his stiff navy jacket. I gestured for him to take a seat on the other side of my empty desk as I assumed a more comfortable position; my feet resting against it's chipped surface. Detecting my ease, he released his tense muscles, clambering up with slight difficulty, swivelling the chair to face me. I entertained a small staring contest with him, and he eventually averted his eyes.

"So, what do you like, kid?"

"Justice." I raised my eyebrows, surprised that he understood a such a concept at his age. Maybe I was underestimating him; it had been a while since I had engaged in conversation with an intelligent child.

"What do you mean, justice?" I enquired, relaxing back into my chair – this at least should provide a distraction for me.

"People getting what they deserve. I like it when that happens," he trailed off, as if he'd said something wrong. I presumed he'd been scolded for this thinking before, perhaps even for acting upon his… strong sense of justice. Something had probably transpired when he was younger for him to have developed such _intriguing _ideas.

"Have your parents reprimanded you for believing that?"

He flinched, huddling into the large chair. My speculation was true. "Yeah," he hesitated, inky eyes doubting where my loyalties lay. "I won't tell them," I shrug out briskly, assuming an air of nonchalance, "It doesn't matter to me either way." This pacified him, and he continued. "Mother said that I can't expect everything in this world to follow my rules. I'm meant to just follow police rules and not make up my own. But then why are there still bad people in the world if police rules are meant to stop them… why are they still at my school?" Ah, he'd probably been bullied, badly too.

"Police can't do everything," I replied noncommittally, Mikami lightened instantly. "Yeah, that's what I think! That's why I wanna stop them myself… but dad said there's no point in getting myself hurt…but…" he tapered off again, staring at me for approval. It was fascinating, really, that I shared the same concept of justice with this boy; though I never acted on mine. As an adult you know the consequences for… _preventing _evil in the world. I envied this brat, with his set of perfectly pristine ideals and his belief that he could fix everything – I used to be like that, until reality changed me.

"But?" I prompted, rearranging myself so that I was leaning toward him, creating an air of secrecy in which he could flourish. He smiled confidently, warming up to me, "But I wanna do it, I wann-"

"AIBER! Situation here!" Both our heads flipped upwards, toward the entrance. Situation, huh? This ought to be more engrossing then napping in my room. I frowned toward the kid, but he was still monitoring the door suspiciously. A woman donning short blond hair, black sunglasses and pin skirt strode in, ignoring Mikami completely. "There's been a murder in Shinjuku," she stated sourly, hands adjusting her neatly pressed blouse. Mikami was curious, his eyes roving over to me as I leaned casually against the table. This was Wedy, my childhood friend and _'partner in crime'_. We'd both relocated to Japan together years ago, however she had chosen a career in the police force, whereas I had been more fascinated in social services – I regret that now… she got a gun, I got a stapler.

"And that has what to do with me?" I asked, unconcerned with her acidic attitude. She was usually like this, always had been.

"Two children are missing," she grunted, peering at the boy through her sunglasses, "under suspicious circumstances." She didn't want to discuss it in the presence of Mikami, therefore the missing kids were probably the cause of the crime. I was more intrigued these days in discovering brats who had been involved in _'suspicious circumstances'_ than locating foster homes for ones with no parents. If Wedy didn't want to share details yet than this would most likely be quite an enthralling case.

"I'll be there in an hour, that's when Teru's coming to grab Mikami," I gestured with my thumb to mini-Teru, who looked rather affronted that he was not allowed to analyse a murder. She dipped her chin, before pivoting on her heel and leaving the workplace.

Mikami's pupils were trained on me, hoping for me to entertain him. It was going to be a _long_ hour.

**月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月**

By the time Teru returned it was evening, and I had swiftly returned the youngster in order to search out Wedy down in Shinjuku. I caught a taxi, and arrived at a boxy, cream coloured house near to Kabukicho. It was positively tiny, and surrounded by a yellow police line - more comical than serious. A few police cars littered the outside, and I noticed Wedy's glowing red motorcycle – she had probably been loitering around for me. The only reason I was associated with crime was her – she had ascended the ranks within her department with ease, and now had enough influence to employ me whenever she desired. I revealed my little visitor badge to the bored police attendant, and sidled underneath the tape, entering the miniature front garden. The lights were peering out of every window, and Wedy was in her blue uniform instructing various policemen nearby. I sauntered over to her, poking her lightly on the back to get her attention. She whipped around as if I were the murderer, and I giggled diabolically – it was insanely enjoyable to frighten Wedy. "Oh, it's you," she commented dryly, pulling her glasses down as if I were a mangy stray cat that happened to saunter by at an inopportune moment. I bowed extravagantly, and she scoffed. "We believe that the two boys you'll be _uncovering_ are called Lawliet and Beyond. Their parents and younger brother have been shot by a Type 54 Chinese pistol with a 7.62x25mm calibre. Two bullets in the father, one in the mother and younger boy. No weapon was found at the crime scene, but it is thought that…" I tuned her out, tired of her police jargon already – she was employing it merely for revenge, if her self satisfied smirk was any indication. Wedy was under the impression that she was much more intelligent than me, she _had_ received promotion after promotion after joining the police force; and I was still a lowly social service's paper pusher. I claimed that the difference was due to my laziness, she digressed. Wedy blabbered on about meaningless details before returning to descriptions of the children, handing me two worn photos a man had found in the master bedroom, where the execution had occurred. The minors had identical features – inky black hair spilled over their foreheads, and soulless black eyes were swimming with suppressed emotion. One notable difference, though, was that Beyond had a slight ring of crimson around his irises. It was highly unusual, and would make him a lot easier to locate. By their guarded expressions, it didn't seem like these two boys had been particularly joyous. Perhaps one of them had cracked and murdered their family – it wasn't likely though, such an act only occurred during extreme cases of abuse. I spent the evening searching the area for boys, but with no luck. If they were intelligent, which if the academic records found within the house were anything to go by, they'd be long gone now. They may have been bright, but I was an adult. I smirked. Adults always win.

**月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月**

Today was beautifully sunny, opposing the frosty earth and chilly wind. Winter was my least favourite season; it had never been cold in my hometown, and I much preferred being outdoors in the warm than huddled inside watching television. I was going to take advantage of this day, and have a rest from my youngster scouring. I needed to restock the fridge (Wedy was beginning to complain about my diet of instant ramen and toast), and I required a nice new pair of gloves. I squinted down at my old beige ones, fingers peeping out from the tips, red and quaking.

Luckily there was a petite shopping strip near my home, complete with a Western lolly shop and Family Mart, which contained a wide selection of instant ramen and toast – it was amusing to irk Wedy.

An hour later, after careful deliberation in the noodles section, I exited the store with a hefty shopping bag in one hand and a delicious dumpling in the other. I devoured half the treat in one swift bite, looking for somewhere to park my exhausted body. Buying food required a great deal of energy, being that I spent most of my time in an office dozing or at home napping. I regarded a bench in front of the lolly store, and noticed that a little dark haired, pale, minor was perched awkwardly on it, appearing quite… _depressed. _

I traversed over to the kid, before pausing in revelation. It was one of those children I was seeking – Beyond, wasn't it? Beyond and Lawliet? I hastened over, inwardly cheering my skill and dedication to work, plonking myself with ease onto the frigid bench. Beyond, or Lawliet, didn't respond - he was staring something intently. I followed his gaze, chancing upon a typical young Japanese boy shouting shrilly at his mother, who looked like both mortified and infuriated. Beyond was probably missing his parents, they'd just died after all, and was seeking to replace them with others. Or perhaps he just enjoyed envisioning murdering this child's mother. Either way, he was creepy.

"Is that your mummy?" I asked casually in fluent Japanese, adopting a serene smile and crossing my legs daintily. The boy roused from his momentary lapse, glancing over at me in fright – as if he were about to bolt. Perchance he sat in that obscure position because it meant he could escape speedily? Who knew. "Hey, I'm not gonna hurt you, kid." He shuffled away from me - I seemed to be steadily loosing control of this situation.

"My mum's dead." His voice was monotonous, soft, frightened. He was fluent as well, which was a feat considering he'd only just moved here. Extra lessons in England? His eyes were trained on me, like a baby bunny ready to flee at the first sign of trouble. I examined him closely before speaking, noting that his irises were not surrounded by ruby – this was Lawliet then, he wasn't as aggressive as I had expected. "Mine is too," I commented softly, regarding as his eyes widened in response; thumb moving to tease his bottom lip. Hopefully I could get some information about their lives from Lawliet, or at least where his brother was – Beyond appeared to be the ring leader in this operation. Though appearances could be deceiving.

"My mum died in an accident," I muttered, turning to gaze at the youngster with his mother; he was participating in a tantrum now, signalling and wailing at the sweets shop. If I found common ground with Lawliet, then he'd tell me about his own parent's death.

"My mother was murdered." My technique was successful. I assumed a surprised expression as I turned to him, noticing the way that he flinched at my fast movements – he'd probably been abused by someone. In any case, I had to dim down the acting so as not to scare him. "What happened?" I enquired, contemplating the barely suppressed emotions flutter past his face – he was pretty strong, considering this only happened a week ago.

"I came home with brother, and they were all dead," was his toneless reply, feet shuffling listlessly against the wood. "So you don't know who did it?" Poor brat, blamed for something traumatic like this. Possibly that was why he was so weary – he was concerned that he'd go to jail if anyone captured him. He shifted toward me, bony chin resting against his knees. "I don't know," he mumbled dubiously, running tiny fingers through his messy locks. Was he shielding Beyond, or one of his family's friends? No, That didn't make sense. They had barely moved from England, Wedy had told me, and it would be extremely particular for someone to follow a perfectly respectable family all the way over to Japan in order to slaughter them.

"My mum died because someone ran into her car. They caught the jackass though, maybe they'll catch yours, too." I peered at him from the corner of my eye – if he replied that he hoped so too, than the killer probably wasn't him or Beyond; but if he said he didn't care, than there was a high chance that it was him or his brother, or even someone they associated with. But that technique only helped with children of normal intelligence, not super geniuses.

"Perhaps," he replied unaffectedly, returning his gaze to the family. He was sneaky, the little bastard. The mother finally dragged the little boy down the street, sick of his temper tantrum and more than a little humiliated. Our conversation lulled into thick silence, and Lawliet's pupils drifted to the sweets out on display.

"You like lollies?" I finished my now cold dumpling, flinging the wrapper into the plastic bag at my toes. He shrugged, and I rose, proceeding toward the colored confectionary. I selected a black and white humbug from a tin, tossing my 10 yen into the withered old hands of the store owner. He was surveying his products carefully, probably irritated by Lawliet's unwavering stare. I scooted back over to the bench, startled when I saw the boy scrutinizing me. I held out the treat, and his gaze automatically locked onto it. He was very mistrustful, and examined the candy for a full tense minute before gently extracting it from my palm and plopping onto his tongue. "Thank you," he whispered, voice muffled by the humbug. I hummed tonelessly, reacquainting my backside with the bench, a little closer to Lawliet than before. If he noticed, he didn't comment, but I could tell he was withdrawing more into himself. If I didn't act quickly, he would finish his lolly and leave.

"Where's your bother?" I queried in an off handed manner, biting my lower lip softly, inspecting the youngster. It was the wrong question – he seized up, mouth closed, completely on guard.

"Nowhere," was his childish, somewhat fuzzy reply as he hopped off the bench, attempting to shuffle away for me.

"Where are you going?" I asked, withholding panic from my tone – I couldn't just abduct him here. For all I knew, Beyond could be observing this very moment; ready to abandon his brother if required. The boy was absconding, and I was squandering my lucky lead. Lawliet shook his tresses evasively in response to my question, hunching over, shambling along faster. I stood up, walking beside him, and he speedily crossed the street.

"Hey," I shouted, annoyed that he was fleeing my presence. This was _not_ how I had envisioned our first meeting to be. Everything was meant to be _perfect_ due to my superb acting skills and gorgeous personality. Instead he was dashing around a corner, probably to alert his brother of the creepy, _frumpy_, man inquiring about them.

"Oi," I darted toward him, peering around the corner. He perceived me coming and scurried, moving quicker than I'd though possible for such a malnourished little creature.

"LAWLIET!" I bellowed, puffing as he turned to look at me with absolute horror. "G-Go away!" He screeched, eyes darkening with undeserved anger. I halted my sprint, pondering why he was so mad; how he was absolutely different to the boy I'd just been with on the bench.

"Leave me alone!" He skidded off around another corner. I didn't peruse him, too shocked at the complete personality change to do much at all. Maybe he _was_ capable of murder – maybe he was more devious than I took him to be.

Maybe it wasn't Beyond I should be concerned over.

**月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月**

"_WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?"_

I was spurred into action by the blonde's voice, lifting up the gun welded to my hand by dried sweat and indicating it at the redhead. He rose his hands instantly, gazing worriedly into the room behind him. I had two kills left, I could take out this one, and then the ringleader, I coul-

"Put the fukin' gun down," a voice jolted me from my mind. The blonde had travelled behind his friend, and was currently seething at me. His hair was shoulder length, and exceedingly girly in my opinion.

"No," I responded dully, calmly. I couldn't let them think that I would cower before them, simply because they were older. The blonde growled, clearly used to being obeyed. The redhead nudged him harshly, earning a yelped "_Matt!"._ So, this boy was calling himself Matt. Always nice to know someone goes by before you mur- _destroy_ them. Matt whispered words rapidly into this Blondie's ear, and I discerned him tensing up in infuriation. Matt was the reasonable one.

"What do you want?" He spoke carefully, as if I were about to detonate. A correct assumption, really. Brother poked his _pathetic_ head out from behind me, peering at the two with confusion, and me with fear. I liked that. Made me feel _powerful. _"Place to stay," I replied, arm stiffening in position as I turned my stare back to Matt, sneering softly. Blondie was about to interrupt, but Matt prevented him with a light touch. "Why?"

"'Cause I killed a man, and now they're gonna kill brother in return," I replied impassively, devouring these two boy's awe with glee. I bet _they_ hadn't done something like that.

"If we let you stay here…" Matt started, ignoring Blondie's look of absolute fury. I cocked my weapon, an indication for Matt to continue. Brother went back into hiding, hands grasping my waist tightly. "Will you put the gun down and promise not to…_hurt _anyone?"

"You can't take his fukin' word for it Matt!" Blondie bellowed, pushing his friend in the chest. I wondered how he able to lift his arms in his suffocating leather jacket and pants combination. It appeared very little uncomfortable, and nothing like my cosy jeans and coat. "What else can we do, Mello? I gonna get fucking _shot_ here," he deadpanned as Blondie, _Mello,_ scoffed – he believed he could defeat me, that this situation was completely under _his_ control. Not likely. The only reason I hadn't executed anyone was because Matt was suitably polite to me. I liked Matt already. He knew his place, not like this Mello fellow.

"I won't _hurt_ anyone, if you don't try anything," I responded, adopting his tone, lowering my weapon cautiously. Matt breathed an audible sigh of relief as Mello glowered at my small victory, stalking back into the room, complaining. I scrutinised it with curiosity – it didn't look like a bad place to reside, much better than our alleyway. Matt indicated hesitantly for me and my still quivering brother to enter the establishment. I strode in confidently, brother following behind like a _dog. _

"What's your name, anyway?"

I glanced over at Matt, who'd settled down on one of the ratted couches that surrounded the fire drum. Mello was purposely ignoring our presence, choosing instead to chew obnoxiously in the background. Two males were sitting stiff on one couch and a female I hadn't seen before reclined on a third. She was watching Mello, also disregarding us. "I'm Ryuga," I muttered, ambling over to Matt's couch, giggling in an off putting manner as I pushed brother onto it and perching in my odd way next to him. "And this is Hideki."

One of the males gasped, astounded. "That's the same name as that pop star! Cool!" He bounced up and down on the seat, giggling – he believed us safe because of a loose connection. He was extremely _stupid_. Mello snorted, snide comments spilling from his lips, mostly concerning '_Matusda's lack of a fukin' brain'. _ Matusda probably displayed his _talent_ regularly. "Funny, that," I replied dryly as Matt smirked.

"How'd you know our names were fake?" He asked, swiveling his goggled face to behold me. He had made the connection between he and Mello's exchange of aliases and mine, clever boy. I shared a guarded look with brother, who shook his head. I'd better not tell then. I shrugged, both Matt and Mello (who was eavesdropping quite obviously) gaped at us mistrustfully. I don't blame them, I wouldn't trust me either. Matt sighed, realising that I wasn't going to reveal anything, and gestured toward the two other males in the room. "This is Touta Matusda," he pointed toward the stupid one, who waved friendlily; "And beside him is Gevanni Stephen. They're brothers by marriage." Gevanni inclined his head to me, then brother, ignoring Matsuda. "You already know Mello," Matt continued causally, Mello voicing objections in the background, "and the girl on that couch there is Linder Haller." Her hostile glare hadn't altered.

"Hi," I vocalised in a bored manner, brother (_Hideki _now I supposed) echoing me like a good little puppet. It was doubtful that their names were real, and even more doubtful that it really mattered.

"And, uh, I guess that's it," Matt trailed off weakly, slumping back into the couch, shielding himself from the frosty silence. "Guess you'll be staying here for a bit, then."

Guess so.

**AN: **Back to Raito and L next, so don't give up on me yet.


	6. Chapter Five: Dread

**Restraint**

**Chapter 5:Dread**

_Drip. Drip. Drip._

I woke. It was pitch black. I was lying on my side, on some soft of makeshift metal bed. There was a coarse blanket under me – unlike the fluffy one I was used to at home. I griped it in my fist. It smelt mouldy. I lay still for a moment. Where was I? The events of Misa's party returned to me slowly, and I felt my heart thumping loudly in the splashing darkness. The bathroom. The quiet. The footsteps. _Fear_. Terrible, oppressive fear. Then, a hit. I moved my quivering, stiff hands to my head, and felt the crust of dried blood. Someone _had_ been in that room. Someone _had _been following me. I attempted to sit upright, shivering in absolute horror and repulsion. I was at the mercy of someone else.

I shifted my rigid neck to the side. Were they watching me? I couldn't hear anything but the slow, steady dribbling of moisture. It irrationally comforted me. No, no wait. There was something… something mechanical, distant. It was so, _so _ dark. Too dark, I couldn't focus. My usually impeccable logic was failing me – I was hungry, hurt, _scared. _This was no place for pride. I closed my eyes, breathing deeply, regaining myself.

First – I was somewhere underground. That's why I could hear leaking. Yes. Second – I was still alive, that meant they hadn't taken me to kill me. Maybe they wanted something. Money? My family wasn't particularly rich. Was it to do with my father being Chief of Police? A grudge? I shivered – best not to go down that path.

My hands slithered down to curl around my body, and I froze. I wasn't wearing a shirt. I had been wearing a shirt before. I wasn't wearing one now. _Someone had taken off my shirt._ I whole stream of unexplored, possible, events crowded my thoughts. I quickly reached down – no pants either. That probably meant that I'd been- _No. _I breathed a sigh of relief, hands resting firmly on my still present boxers. _That_ was not a possibility, then.

I slumped onto myself, suddenly aware of just how _cold _it was. My hands continued their exploration of my body. There was bruising on my lower back, like I had been dragged over something. Down stairs?

_Drip. Drip. Drip._

I opened my eyes again, embracing the gaping darkness. It was everywhere, crowding me, _consuming _me. I clenched my jaw, stilling my panicked breathing. _Calm down. _I thrust my hand out to the right, but there was mere air. I pivoted it right around to the left, and it landed against a tough structure. My fingers trailed across it's grooves. Stone. The droplets continued their monotonous drizzling; the damp air rising from the ground seeped into my every pore.

My hand continued its journey outward, until it came to a corner. Stone and metal met. _Bars._ There was a wall behind me, and metal bars to my left. I was in a _cage._

I gasped, hit with a revelation.

_I was still in the prison. _

Someone had hauled me down into its uninhabited depths and dumped my body into one of the cells. But who?

_Did it even matter?_ I thought sourly. The chances of someone coming down here, into the prison's unexplored and abandoned basements, was highly improbable. I could be stuck down here for hours, days_, weeks_ and no one would discover me. I would be _dead _be then. Terror writhed in my stomach, gnawing away at my flesh. There's nothing worse then that. Pain doesn't last, but fear treats you as its plaything until you go _insane_. Unless, you didn't panic. I clenched my fists, converting this pathetic feeling into _anger. _

"I'm not afraid of you!" I screamed, propelling myself to my feet. My voice echoed hundreds, thousands of times. Nothing answered. Silence. Perhaps I was alone after all. Strength gripped me at this assertion, and I moved around my little confinement. I was a cell, I had been correct. Very small, my whole arm span and a bit in length. There was a murky structure in one corner, and the bed and blanket against the only wall. I located the door in a matter of minutes, but it was locked. I was trapped.

I delicately stepped across the wet floor, moving toward the bed. I could navigate my surroundings now. That was a start. I had water as well, if that noise was an indication. Maybe I could do this, could survive until some-

From the darkness, close enough to terrify, came low, long steps. They echoed like my voice, the reverberations mingling together to create an orchestra of noise too thunderous for the silence.

My unease came crawling back.

_Someone was down here._

I backed up against the bed, reasoning ways to defend myself. I had the blanket, I could _strangle _them. I could make them _pay _for doing this to me. _ME_. I would give them what they _deserved_ for causing me to feel like _this_.

The steps came again. Closer. Slow, deafening - my flesh bristled with apprehension. My knee collided with the safety of the metal bed, and I climbed onto it, my naked back against the stone, fingers threading through the blanket; heart beating _faster. _I could hear breathing now. Definitely breathing, strong and steady.

There was a noise, a strange noise. _Clank. _Metal on metal. _Bang. _They were opening the door. The door to my freedom. Hope swelled into my broken body, giving me strength. I rose slowly, quietly – I had to make them believe I was defenceless, helpless to their every whim. The noise stopped. Had they heard me?

I slid my right foot backward, blanket like a whip in my hand, ready to strike my kidnapper. There was a prolonged _creeeaaaak_ as the cell unlatched; the only barrier between them and me unhurriedly removed. Did they really believe I'd have slept through that noise? Did they believe I was just that pathetic, that I would be cowering in a corner, to weak and disoriented to do _anything_?

It didn't matter now, though, what they thought. They were wrong. _I _was _Raito Yagami_, for God's sake! _I_ wasn't going to stand down and _take it_!

Shuffling, they were moving into my cell. This was my only chance.

"FUCK YOU!" I screamed, charging at my assailant, relishing in their surprised cry. They seemed nervous, unsure – what had they expected? I pushed them harshly to the ground, arms scrabbling at their body, trying to _dominate _them. Their hands gripped uselessly at the air. He (probably a male due to the lack of cleavage I felt) was bigger than me, more muscular, robust. But I had _surprise_. I had also found his throat.

But he had found my crotch.

He kicked out harshly and I omitted a pain induced wail, sliding toward the bed. I cuddled into myself, shuddering in pain, tears of frustration seeping from my eyes. I perceived him rising from the ground, breath coming out in short bursts. A silhouette blocking my freedom. _No! I couldn't loose my chance!_

I kicked pitifully out at his feet, attempting to trip him over, but he stepped back and regained control over the situation. I _couldn't _allow that. I leaped up, disregarding my protesting muscles, launching myself at him again. I could feel his insecurity, his _apprehensiveness. _I could do this.

_I could do this!_

**CLANK.**

_Not…again…_

**月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月**

_Ugh… my head was so painful…_

My eyelids shot up, exposing my dry eyes to darkness. I could still hear the _drip, drip, drip. _ I was sore, _very _sore, but still alive. How many hours had I been down in this hell? Was that _monster _still here? Was he observing my pain and torment with glee? _That sick bastard._ Yes, it was definitely male. A female couldn't overwhelm me. What did he want?

I groaned, throat dry, head fuzzy with dehydration. My body was stiff with hypothermia. Was he just keeping me down here so he could watch me expire slowly? How many people had also died lying in the prison - starving, thirsty screaming, wailing, _weeping_. My eyes slid to the ground, I could see moisture oozing down there, but _I_ was not going to stoop so low as to drink that disgusting stuff. Not yet at least, though at the rate I was going, in a few more hours I might just be begging for compassion.

**月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月**

_Drip. _Six thousand one hundred and forty nine.

_Drip. _Six thousand one hundred and fifty.

_Drip. _Six thousand one hundred and fifty one.

_Drip. _Six thousand one hundred and fifty tw-

_Clank._

I froze, rousing from my numb state, halting my counting. Was he back? Or was I just hallucinating? No, there were the footsteps. Closer and closer. I blanched, looping weakly into the rat bitten blanket, suffocating myself with the smell of mould. I was too _sickly_ to launch an attack now – I had lost my chance. I was trapped, like an _animal. _I didn't want to speak to him, to let him know that I was distressed, but I could no longer bear the waiting, the quietness, the _trickling._

"Why are you doing this to me?" I coughed, body trembling routinely as the sound of feet on the grainy concrete floor boomed closer, mixing and mingling. There was no response. Perhaps he hadn't heard? Perhaps he didn't know? Perhaps this was all a game to him. Sick, sick_ bastard. _

He was at the door now, I could hear the breathing – in out in, unlike my own erratic exhales. I heard him unlatch the entrance to my cage leisurely. _Yes_, I thought bitterly, _I was no longer a threat now you'd starved me into_ _submission_. I refused to be _that _feeble, so I rotated my complaining body until it was facing him, defiant and fragile. I was _Raito Yagami_, most intelligent university student in the _whole _of _Toky-_

"Come to me."

Monotonous voice, authoritative, shattering the tranquillity. My pulse was frantic, my body involuntarily pushing against the rigid stone wall, scratching, bleeding.

"Why?" I enquired softly, attempting to keep my voice steady like his. It sounded more like a lamentable bleat for sympathy.

"Come to me."

He stood in the doorway, close and dangerous, poised to attack. I could barely discern his silhouette, taller than me in my cowering position_._ I remained on the bed, until I heard _sloshing_.

_He had water!_

That noise became my centre, and I bit my lip as I heard it trickling delightfully in its plastic prison. I pitied it, it was like me – trapped until released, only to be swallowed, _hurt_, as soon as it tasted freedom.

"Come to me." His voice was no more than a breathy whisper now as he creased jiggling the bottle. I put my foot forward, recalling instantly from the icy stones. The shock helped to regain my confidence. He slid back a step, matching mine. I felt dizzy, my left arm shooting out to clutch for the bars beside me, wet tickling my venerable toes.

"On your knees," came the almost gentle voice. That was pushing me too far. "No fucking way," I growled tersely, propelling myself against the stiff bars. Was my dignity more important than the liquid I desperately needed? Hell yes. Right now, anyway.

There was silence as the man mused over my defiance. He stood immobile, like the steady metal behind me, and I could discern him more efficiently now. He was much taller than I had originally believed, and seemed to be wearing very baggy clothes that were tattered at the edges. He shifted suddenly, startling me out of my musings, and leaned against the door of my prison casually, lifting his left hand up to his mouth. I squinted, he was holding something large, round.

_Crunch._ He took a indulging bite, and I could feel his smug satisfaction.

It was _apple_. I nearly moaned in torture at the _delicious_ noise. Nostalgia flooded back to me, I remembered clear sky, fruit, fresh ai-

_Cruuunch._ I knew I had no choice, I couldn't loiter here, protesting while he devoured my only chance of survival. My life was not worth my vanity (a horrendous revelation) and I knew I had to be obedient, to _submit_, in order to continue living. My eyes burned as I slowly plummeted into the shallow damp, goose bumps swelling across my shins, awakening the dull senses there. He stopped chewing the apple, as if to say _good boy; now, come closer. _I crawled across the freezing puddles, bent, virtually naked, and _vulnerable. _It was _disgusting_.

I paused in front of him, feeling the touch of his chill fingers on my shoulder forcing me to my knees until I was sitting before him. My panicked pulse echoed through my body as his spindly fingers traced up to my lips. I stiffened, playing dead. He pushed my bottom lip downward with him thumb. I resisted him. I didn't want his hands in my mouth, I didn't know what he was going to do. He pressed more vigorously and I relented, opening it compliantly. An object rested against my mouth, then teeth. It was solid, plastic. _Water_. My body shivered with delight as I felt the cold fluid trickling down my throat. _Too much. _ I chocked loudly as he tilted the bottle upward, fluid filling my throat, and tried to push away, only to find his hand clutching desperately at my hair. _Was he trying to drown me? _

I drank, closing my eyes, breathing it in. He relented, yanking the plastic bottle away as I collapsed onto the stone, coughing loudly, breathing harshly. "What…the fuck…is… _wrong_ with you?" I panted, angling head up to his. He towered above me, mute, hand latching onto my neck, dragging me up into kneeling position once more. I was helpless, and I _hated _it.

I felt his finger again against my wet lips, stroking them tenderly as I tamely parted them, as a bird would to its mother. This time he slipped in a smooth substance. My tongue roved over it's half moon shape – _apple. _I groaned, sucking at it, draining it of its life giving juices; dissecting its crisp, succulent surface with my tongue. _Heaven. _My hands travelled from where they had been resting limp in my lap to wrap around my body, quaking before my captor woefully as I crunched into my delightful meal. He produced a marginally nicer blanket than my grotty one, laying it affectionately on me as if I were his child. It was nauseating, how I was powerless against this _madman. _

I devoured the remaining slice of apple, presenting my mouth to him again, appealingly, as if I were becoming used to being the victim. It was official, my need for self preservation was stronger than my honour, and I knew that I had to behave as he dictated if I was to survive. He thrust another, larger piece into my mouth, before shambling backwards toward the entrance. I chomped into the apple greedily, torn between relief and apprehension as he left. How long was he going for? Would he even come back? Will he have more food? Water? My stomach whimpered. I was _very_ hungry.

I sighed as the door clanked shut, my only source of sustenance deserting me, my miniscule hope for freedom massacred. I rose, coiling the blanket around my naked chest, wandering back toward my new bed.

_Drip. _One.

_Drip. _Two.

_Drip. _Three…


	7. Chapter Six: Assault

**Restraint**

**Chapter Six: Assault**

_Scitter, Scatter. Scitter, Scatter. _

I heard their small feet scurrying across the hard stones. Noses twitching in the perpetual darkness. I shuddered, lifting my feet from the ground in disgust. I _hated_ rats. Yet they were the only real companions I had in this dismal prison. I exhaled loudly, leaning my head against my arms, wondering who had captured me. He was intelligent, whoever he was. There was nothing I could use to escape. He had taken my clothes. Given me this useless blanket. Left me here to wither away.

_Drip. Drip. _

Liquid oozed methodically, but I had long since grown to ignore it. It was no longer a comfort, and only served to remind me of that _monster's_ attempt to drown me. Counting was not amusing either – I much preferred to dwell in my growing depression. At least I was more calm now, than when I had first awoken.

It felt like years since I last heard his stealthy footsteps, his ominous voice. I couldn't bring myself to miss him, though. With him came the sensation of _fear._ Far, _far_, worse then the rats. I swallowed stiffly, closing my eyes to stop the spinning darkness. I was dehydrated, and presently enjoying the delightful symptoms that came with such a prognosis. Fatigue, listlessness, flushed skin.

"_You're looking quite pathetic, Raito."_

Hallucinations.

"Leave me alone!" I groaned for what felt like the sixth hundredth time. My water deprivation induced delusion didn't get the hint. He'd been goading me into conversation for at least an hour or two, though I couldn't be sure of the time. I sent a glare in its general direction, just outside my cell. It merely chuckled, a thoroughly evil sound, and continued observing me. I fiddled with the blanket, turning from it with emphasis, huffing in the rat infested silence. I refused to get off the metal bed - I had heard tales about these animal devouring humans because they were famished. Maybe _that_ was my kidnappers evil plan. Maybe he was _aroused _by people being consumed by rats. I shivered in revolution. What would my father say if he saw me now.

"_I'm sure he'd comment on how pathetic you look," _It giggled, closer to me now. I curled tightly into a ball, ignoring it. Would be worth praying to God? I had never been devoutly religious – I was a science person, and there was no science in omnipotent beliefs. An atheist, perhaps. But there seemed no harm in trying now. What had I got to lose? My honour was already gone, and if this voice was any indication, so was my sanity. Maybe this was all a test, or punishment, for something. Being so intelligent, perhaps? Or maybe God believed he'd made me _too_ perfect, _too _beautifu-

"_Your narcissism never ceases to amaze me."_

I was starting to loathe my subconscious.

My stomach wailed suddenly, and I scrunched up my face, prodding my prominent ribs through the warm blanket. I was loosing weight fast, but that was to be expected on a diet of apple and water. At this rate, my body would just give out on me. Extinguish itself. Funny, I always had this illogical notion that I would live forever. That I would write countless books, discover countless new things about this earth, perhaps even become the Greatest Detective in the World and usurp _A_. Not die in some cold, heartless prison because of some insane –_"His methods are a little bizarre, I must admit"_- abductor due to… to… _malnourishment. _I laughed sourly, the sound catching in my throat. I hadn't discovered anything. I was a nobody. I hadn't even finished _university_. Quite pitiful, really. There was nothing I detested more than being pitied.

"_If it's any consolation, I don't pity you. I think you're nauseating. I don't really see what he sees in you. Granted, you're intelligent, but he has enough intelligence for two. He's just as sickening as you, and twice as deplorable." _

I wish I could view my captor like that. To be unafraid of him, to challenge him and _defeat _him as he has to me. But whenever I hear his monotonous, emotionless voice I can barely stop the tremors running through my body, nor my heart from pounding. He's a monster. A _devil._ I could not perceive him as merely mortal.

"_He is not a devil. He is a child. He has always been a child. Selfish, stubborn, greedy. Like you. Maybe he sees himself in you, what he could have been. Maybe that's why he wants you."_

It had a point, he was definitely stubborn and childish. If I refused to get on my knees before him he would not feed me. If I refused to crawl, he would not let me drink. I knew he was treating this as a little game. I frowned, digits digging into my skin in anger. I was bored of listening to the same thoughts. I was getting nowhere. This was _insufferable_.

"_That's the problem with being too intelligent, you can never stop thinking. You will be your own downfall."_

"I'll be dead before that happens," I murmur against my protesting, dry throat. I had even stopped producing saliva, if he didn't come soon…

"_He will. He doesn't want to loose you. Not yet anyway, not until he's had his fun. But because I hate him, hate that he's fallen to this level, I'll tell you something. He's got a soft spot for you, whether you like it or not. Beg to him, make him believe you won't hurt him, that you're warming up to him, and you may get your chance." _

I sat up suddenly, gasping. My subconscious was…. awfully knowledgeable. Unless, it wasn't my mind at all. "How do you know that?" I whispered, prompting the voice to continue gently, my intestines tightening. Was this an accomplice of my kidnapper? Was he taunting me, making a _fool_ of me? "Well?" I demanded, anger swelling inside of me. There was no response. No sound. The rats had finished their scurrying. I pivoted, back against the wall, my pupils darting in the darkness. I could not _see_ anything, but that didn't mean that I was alone. I couldn't hear breathing either, nor footsteps.

Wait.

I sighed in relief, anger flooding from me. It couldn't be another person. I had been replying in my head, and it was impossible to read minds. It had to be my brain, detecting subtle signs and signals that I, in my paralysing fear, had missed.

_Clank!_

I tensed, both exited and concerned as I heard the first signs of my captor's appearance. _Food!_ My body cried, _Water! Sustenance! _It felt like eons since my last meal, since that moon shaped pearl of _life_ had crept through my mouth. I twitched on the bed, toes probing at the cold pebbles beneath them.

His footsteps sounded, almost comfortingly in the dripping. _Familiar. _He had not hurt me badly in a while. _Safe. _His breathing was steady, as always. Mine still erratic.

_Creaaak._

Air rushed through my oily hair as the door unbolted, my captor calmly entering into my prison. I could hear his feet splashing in the puddles. Shirt scratching against his skin as he shuffled into the cell. Not for the first time I puzzled over what he looked like, whether I knew him. All I could tell was that he was as skinny as me, maybe more so, and had wild locks. Not the type of person I would associate with - maybe I had rejected him in the past? Wish I hadn't now.

He whistled, as if I were his pet, and I involuntarily trembled. That was my cue, and I was too parched to protest today. I sunk downward, and he snorted in approval. The icy stones chilled my knees, scraping them. Hairs stood on end as I stopped in my customary place before him. His hand came to stroke my hair, cold digits parting the individual strands affectionately. I tried not to pull away in repulsion, I had learnt that such things made him angry – and he did unexpected, _dangerous_, things when he was angry.

He yanked my head up suddenly, and I screeched indignantly. His thumb came to push hard against my lips and I opened them automatically, closing my eyelids as his warm breath floated across my features. My palm moved deftly up to his, curling around his fingers, attempting to remove his tight grip.

"…_Beg to him, make him believe you won't hurt him, that you're warming up to him, and you may get your chance." _

The echo of the hallucination ran through my mind, and my fist loosened instinctively. His, in return, slackened. If I could get him to trust me, to believe I was no longer a threat, he would let his guard down around me. And then I would strike, like a _cobra._

Full of poison, and ready to kill.

I leered smugly, feeling in control for the first time since my ensnarement, grateful for the dim lighting as he popped in the water bottle. I greedily gulped its contents, sighing as he removed it from me.

I would have him _dead_ in no time.

He fed me the first apple slice and I crunched hard on it. He paused, as if sensing my new resolution. I swallowed it, my stomach gurgling happily. Then whined softly, appealingly, like the _dog_ he wished me to be. He chuckled, as if this was _amusing _for him, before popping another piece through. The delicious liquid seeped through my poor throat, easing my pain. Filled with resolve, and slightly deranged glee, I sucked the fruit, countless different strategies filling my thoughts. I was right, he obviously had a weak spot for me. He wanted me to like him. He only hurt me when I disobeyed his commands. I had him all mapped out, there was _nothing_ he could do to surprise me now.

I swallowed again, forefinger and thumb wrapping delicately around his wrist, prompting him for more _sweetness_. He entwined in my tresses behind my ear, and I presented my ajar mouth to him. His thumb pushed them shut, and I frowned. That was unexpected. He'd never done _that _before. Anxiety swelled in my stomach. What was he going to do now? Wasn't he going to feed me? What could he possibly do with them shu-

My eyelids snapped open as his frosted lips connected with mine, moving against them in subtle harmony. My pulse _thumping_, _thumping_ as he pushed against me forcefully, tugging against my hair, propelling me toward him.

Oh dear God_ NO!_

I struggled hysterically, ripping my face from his, knees catching him in the torso, propelling him into the doorway.

"No!" I cried, sliding backwards as he advanced once again, moisture leaking down my cheeks.

_NonononononononoNO!_

He grabbed my foot, tugging me vigorously toward him. I yelped as the stones clawed at my still healing back, my digits desperately trying to cling at _anything _to hinder him.

They hooked into a crevice, halting him for a second.

I kicked out with my free foot, breathing harshly, catching him on the neck. He groaned, backing away from me, and I leapt up, listlessness lost in sight of this new terror. I dashed to the metal bed, leaning against its steady surface as he stood, his hands grasping at his throat. He was _angry. _Panic assaulted me, sympathetic nerves controlling me, causing my pupils to dilate and my heart to flutter in my chest. He _kissed _me! _Hekissedme_! That's why he kidnapped me! He was going to… going to…

I fought the agonising desire to retch as he stood opposite me, once again between me and my freedom. But now the situation was worse, _so much worse._ His thumb came to rest against his mouth, and he straightened. My legs quivered, barely able to hold my body up, let alone defend myself against this _perverted lunatic. _I reached down, hiccupping with fright, gripping the comforting blanket, my only weapon against him. He stepped forward, and I wondered whether I should just _beg. _But then I would _loose._ Loose this mind battle, loose my dignity. Loose _everything. _He waited, probably gauging wether I was going to drop bawling at his feet, and appeal for him to at least make _it _quick. I would not give up – I was still Raito Yagami. The dehydration and hunger may have made me weak, but under this refreshing bought of adrenaline I was not going to allow him to take _my _body so easily.

He took an almost tentative step, coming in my blanket's range.

I lashed out.

He grabbed the blanket in his grip, heaving it to him, dragging me with it.

"NO!" I screamed as his silhouette loomed closer. As I felt him clutch my wrist. "No PLEASE!"

He paid me no heed. Confident in the knowledge that I had no strength left, that he had _starved _me so badly that he could do _anything _to me.

I swung at him, but he caught my fist.

I kicked at his feet, but he dodged expertly.

He threw me against the wall. I plummeted in despair, my adrenaline leaving me cold and defenceless against this maniac. I quaked as he came to stand above me, pleading incoherently under my breath. My back ached, covered in numerous little scratches, blood dripping down it like sweat. He bent. I flung my arms out to stop him. He latched onto them, anticipating my pathetic attempt at self defence.

His face hovered close to mine. I refused to look at him, gasping for air, turning away from him. His tongue connected with my neck. I hissed _no_ again and again.

Unheeded.

He dragged my unresponsive body from the wall, pushing me onto the bed, towering above me. I curled up. All I could do now was hope. He kissed my forehead, then jaw, ignoring my feeble attempts to shift him. He forced my knees from my chest, spreading me out, locking me underneath his powerful body.

"Why…" I whimpered as his index caressed my wet cheeks, leg sliding in between mine. He didn't respond, unsurprisingly, and I flinched as his whole hand cupped the right side of my face. His heartless lips found mine once more, prying them open with his violent tongue. I let him in, despair consuming me, creasing to struggle against him.

He trapped me.

The sick, _sick_, brute.

He halted his ministrations, untangling his warm tongue from my unresponsive one, leaning his forehead against mine. I stilled, as if dead, hoping that he'd get this torture over and _done _with.

He didn't.

He just lay there, on top of me, gazing at me.

_It's strange_, I thought disjointedly, _that I can barely even _see_ his face when he is centimetres from me, that I will never be able to see my kidnapper. Rapist. Murderer. _What was taking him so long? Did he _like_ laying on my immobile, absolutely _defeated_ body? Did he enjoy _this_ game? Want to draw it out for as long as possible? I turned to the side. Best not to give him the satisfaction of my full attention.

His lips found mine again. Soft. Sorrowful.

Then, he drew back. Fingers slipped from my trapped ones. Legs untwining from mine. He hopped off me, shuffling to the entrance.

_What?_

I sat up, gazing at him, shocked. I couldn't help myself, "Aren't you going to…?"

He snorted, pausing at the door, head turning back to look at me. Goosebumps rose on my shoulders. I felt him surveying my body, the damage he had done. I sheltered it from his gaze with my arms, averting my weary eyes.

"No," he whispered, so softly that I barely believed he had spoken. My bewildered gaze reconnected with his, and I froze. "No, Raito-kun, no I am not."

He exited. I was alone, hurt, worried and very, _very, _alarmed.

What…_did_ he want?


	8. Chapter Seven: Suspicion

**Restraint**

**Chapter Seven: Suspicion  
**

_Scriiitch. Scraaatch._

I shifted subtly in the darkness, removing my battered knees from the vaporous slabs. I'd been routinely inspecting for feeble bars - my desire for freedom far surpassing any fear of what skulks in gloom. I'd learnt that the rats were keenly aware of my movements, and if I made the slightest noise they'd scuttle to their rancid homes. I envied this ability, wished to slither noiselessly to my own house. Pretend this was nothing more than a harrowing _night terror_. But I was still trapped, not to be liberated anytime soon.

I sighed, delighting in the pause of all rat ministrations. I relished in any power I could gain. I yearned for control keenly. I lusted for my pride, my _honour_. There was so much I had lost. I shook my head rapidly, detaching from such pessimistic thoughts. It was arduous to remain enthusiastic - a consequence of the clammy, sombre atmosphere I thrived in. I rose, lengthening my blood encrusted back, and progressed across the cell, fingers gripping the arctic bars, searching in vain for a way to abscond. I'd always believed I was lucky. I'd been mistaken.

I had been assembling and implementing a new tactic to manipulate my captor's _'weak point'_. Whenever he came to my dungeon, I'd lie listlessly and ignore his commands. Refuse to engage. I knew he craved dominance, for whatever reason, and by exploiting this I would deprive him of his _thrill_. It was fatiguing at first. I was so, _so_ undernourished that my self preservation almost steered me. But I managed to restrain myself. He came to _me _now. My subconscious had been correct – he did not aspire for my death. This was another source of _power_ for me, albeit a minuscule one.

No luck here, the bars were firm. Wedged taught like pikes. The door bolted from the outside as well. I had nothing keen enough to whittle them away, and I _refused _to use my teeth. A tremor plagued my body. How… _deplorable. _I altered the blanket on my shoulders – I'd donned it like a cape. _Humiliating._ I no longer fretted about someone seeing my _outfit_. It'd been at least a week since my kidnapping, and I was still here. I snorted. Other people were such _idiots._ It was mystifying that I'd achieved anything with such _reinforcement_. But that was then, and this was now. All I could do was trust… and plan.

I traversed through the moistened pebbles to my crib, settling on my other soggy blanket. I had located the origin of the mysterious dripping, and it assisted in my battle against dehydration – I hadn't conversed with myself for a while.

Regaining my sanity was awfully exciting.

I reached my tender fingers across to a hole near me, cupping them gently, snaring water. It oozed unpleasantly slowly, but was an improvement from _thinking._ I used to delight in meditating, _reflecting_, but that was _hell_ for me now. I knew the effects of solitary confinement - I'd done a research report on it for my Psychology class. _"Solitary confinement is employed as a torture technique. It generates isolation panic, identity loss, and a decrease in ability to respond and regulate emotion. It can even result in complete sanity loss."_ Only in extreme cases, though. Still, fears lingered. I could lose myself. Or my alluring social skills. I was almost _gratified _that my captor visited me. Otherwise… I trembled. I could become socially inept. A fate worse than _rape. _

I lapped at the miniature lakes on my skin, exhaling as fluid dribbled down my chapped trachea. My captor had suppresses his _urges_ since his attempted rape. I still had nightmares of that night, however. The possibilities. What he _could've _done.

_Why_ _hadn't he?_

Ugh… I detested conundrums.

**月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月**

_**CLANK!**_

I gasped, rousing from my disturbed siesta. I'd experienced another dream. He hadn't abstained. He'd slithered his grimy palm over my precious body. Violated my most _sacred_ sites. It brought bile up my oesophagus.

I rested my languid forehead against my forearms, wishing for the sensation to end. I wondered what he'd do if I _vomited_ over him. At least it would surprise him.

_Tap. Tap. Tap._

He was trotting along calmly, steps lulling me to sleep. I only rested in tiny, light segments. Too paranoid to be left vulnerable for long.

I curled up into my mandatory ball, assuming my '_depressed'_ pose. I'd formatted it to maximise '_pity factor'_. It was effective - he'd hardly _punished_ me since its application. Barely even bothered to summon me. He wouldn't let me feed myself, though. No. That would give me too much freedom. I smirked bitterly. It also wouldn't sedate his _desires_.

_Creaaaak._

He shuffled inside, pausing at the door – assessing if I would humour his disturbed game. I didn't twitch, disregarding his impassive stare. He sagged faintly before creeping into my prison. Water sloshed enticingly, but I remained still. Would he _try_ something? I was tougher now - adept at utilising energy from the _minuscule_ amount of food.

He perched down beside me in his peculiar way - akin to a bird stabilising on a limb. His feet methodically tucked under him, knees crushed to his chest. My hairs rose. He seized my shoulder. I shrugged him off. This was a dangerous game – he angered easily. I didn't want _more _bruises.

He exhaled dejectedly, as if striving to blackmail _me _into pitying him. Unlikely. I remained unresponsive, as if I were too _pitiful_ to reply. His toes fiddled with the cot, breaking oppressive silence. His thumb danced on his lips, tongue flicking out to tease the skin.

"Just let me die…" I whispered drastically, thumping my head against the metal. The noise generated a ripple of rat squeals. My captor tensed. He detested rats as well? Strange. We actually had _something _in common.

"I cannot do that, Raito-kun," he replied wearisomely. We'd had this conversation before. Numerous times. I'd become accustomed to his formal, _exceedingly_ _dull_,voice. I was almost _eager_ to perceive it. It was more compelling than perpetual silence.

I pouted as the reverberations ceased, slithering fingers through the bricks, probing familiar crevices, disheartened. My acting skills were unrivalled, thank God.

His hand twitched, like a _snake_, latching onto my fingers. I growled. He was so _damned _unpredictable. He ran his thumb down my forefinger leisurely. I quivered with terror. My nightmare came back to me, in a flash.

_Nails scraping my vehement skin, back arching into his tense, excited stomach. Hands seizing my hips, crippling, wrenching me into him. Melding our heated bodies together_. _My voice panting no, no, nooo. His, filled with passion, fervour, _desire_, groaning Raito-kun, Raito-kuuun, crushing his crotch into mine-_

I whimpered, aching to be free of this _horror_. He stilled, hand clasping mine, as my heart decelerated. My pupils ducked behind eyelids. Why wouldn't he _leave_ me?

He cautiously nudged my wrist with his thumb, testing my pulse. I tugged piteously. He didn't yield. I slumped against the cot. As long as he wouldn't _molest _me, I would let him have _fun_. Though my heart begged _no_, logic dictated that if I didn't give him _something_ willingly, then he'd take _everything_ by force.

I breathed the musty blanket, venturing to recall fresh air, as his spindly fingers trekked upward. They reached my elbow, pinching skin savagely. I gasped. He smirked. I detested his games. I was _not _an _object._

He finally touched my shoulder, squeezing it. I rolled my eyes, despondent.

Then, within _seconds_, he pinned me.

I screeched, propelling fists into his resistant chest, pulse hastening. My nightmare replayed itself. _Over_ _and_ _over_.

He grunted. Knees digging into my thighs. Desperately hard.

"_Stop!_" I pleaded, nibbling lips in agony, aiming to fling him off. My shaking hands rested against him. Palms curling in his pale shirt. I struggled. His head came down, level with my neck. Lips glided up my jaw. I paused, transfixed by pain. His hand moved from my head, ducking behind his back. I thought of the worst.

_Knives. Guns. Gags. Tape. _

_No, please, not like this. Notliketthis!_

But no. He placed an item in his mouth. I gulped. _Wish I'd been more responsive now._

His head moved towards me. Eyes immobilising me. Unwieldy hair tickling my forehead. Tears leaked from my ducts; rivers forming down cheeks. How often had I cried lately? I'd belied _so _much weakness. Why? _Why?_

I braced myself for the worst.

_Oh God, he's gonna drug me. Not drugs. No!_

He leaned on his elbows. Forehead resting against mine. Akin to the time he had attempted to…

His mouth connected with mine.

My lips remained closed.

He bit my bottom lip. Blood oozed.

I wailed. His tongue dipped in, stocking my mouth with…

_Apple?_

I slumped, relieved. He sniggered breathily. He'd tricked me. The _jerk. _

I turned my head, chewing, stewing in _embarrassment_. My hands detached from his warmth. He pecked my forehead. I swallowed. He deposited another slice into his own mouth - holding between his forefinger and thumb, releasing it satisfactorily. My stomach gurgled anxiously. He smooched me, using his slippery tongue to propel the fruit. I accepted reluctantly. He rested against the cot, breathing onto my ear. His arms wrapped around me, stilling my chills.

"Why?" I muttered, virtually inaudibly. He was comfortable, _satisfied._ Maybe he would speak. I was… _aching _for conversation. Much as I would _never _admit it. It was so… _isolated_. Being without dialogue gave rise to… Nervousness. Anxiety. _Loneliness_.

"Because apple is an adequate sustenance for a growing _boy_, Raito-kun." He thrummed into my scarlet ear. Tongue flicking along the shell. Legs rubbing against mine. Was he starved of contact? Did he want me merely for a... _teddy bear?_

No. Too simple.

He was mocking me. _Smart arse._ I snarled, striving to flip dramatically away from him. He hugged me tighter.

"Not _that._ Why did you _kiss_ me?" I snapped, itching to gouge out his pupils. He hummed, as if thinking. As if such a question required _thought._ "Fuck _you,_" I hissed, before he had adequate time to respond.

His hand trailed up my chest.

"There is a eighty five percent chance Raito-kun wouldn't let me." His voice was low. He was _enjoying_ this.

I halted, startled by this statistic. _Wrong._ "Try one hundred percent, _bastard_." The desire for us to converse left. Now I just desired for him to _shut the fuck up_.

"No. You are becoming attached to me, Raito-kun." I loathed the sound of his clothed legs running up my bare ones, _swishing_ as the sidled up my thighs, toes curling around my ankles. _Disgusting pervert!_

"Are you _delusional_? Who could become _attached_ to a _lunatic _like _you_?" I shouted, wincing as the echoes burned the tranquillity_._ He stilled his ministrations, nose touching my abused ear.

"You."

"I _hate _you!" I whipped my head around, nipping his nose maliciously. He squeaked, rolling off me. Onto the ground.

I laughed heartily, fiendishly. He glared indignantly, rising up to his full height. Apprehension twitched in my intestines. _Not good. Not good._

My laugh halted. He reached out. Snatched a handful of hair. I screeched, fumbling at his grip. He fought _dirty_. Like a _child._

"_LET GO!" _

He complied, relinquishing his hold. I plummeted to the metal. I groaned, turning off my damaged back, shuddering in pain. He bent down, level with my angry glare. He tugged my chin, harshly caressing my lips with his, pulling away leisurely. _Claiming me_.

I spat in his face.

**月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月**

"_Please, I implore you to locate my son!"_

The heavy set man infiltrated my office loudly, smashing his fist against the battered door for the _fifth_ time this week. He appeared to have trouble comprehending that I was required for were more _significant _issues. Such as the Kira case. Kira was a mass murdering organisation, though _A_ was sure it was a singular person_._ They'd been executing criminals via heart attacks lately. _A_ was convinced they were in Japan, and had released FBI agents to investigate certain suspects. Raye was out there now.

I'd glanced at the Yagami case. Nothing more than an absent youth. He may have eloped, for all that was known. The _'crime scene'_ was devoid of evidence. His father was absolutely distraught, though.

"Yagami-san," I murmured patronisingly, my calm voice conquering his agitated one, " Other cases require my immediate attention. There's millions of detectives in Tokyo. Choose–"

"You're the best!" He intervened, pleading. True. I'd been trained as an FBI agent, and had recently quit. I wasn't supposed to work anymore – my fiancée fretted about me. But I enjoyed my work_. _"Please, Misora-san, I'll do anything… _pay_ anything. Just… help me locate him." I massaged my forehead, exhaling lightly. He stood, panting, over the desk. His fingers frisked nervously across its surface, waiting for my inevitable denial. Why couldn't he _unearth_ his son? He _was_ a cop.

He'd probably tried.

"I'll… examine some leads…" He gazed unwaveringly into my glare, untrusting. I glanced to my calendar, scheduling my afternoon for _'Raito Yagami'_. Maybe he'd desist from this needless badgering if I interviewed a few family members – made certain that there was no new evidence to be discovered. The quicker I was done with this, the more time I would have assisting my fiancée. "If you tell me the addresses of those connected with this case, I'll visit them."

He visibly relaxed, slumping against my desk, mussing my neat file arrangement. I scowled. He shifted rapidly. "Thank you so, _so,_ much Misora-san. Everything my police force could find is here – including names and addresses. Statements as well." He thrust a file at me. I grasped it. It was already worn - He was a dedicated father.

Yagami-san backpedalled out of the room, bowing to me, murmuring praises and thanks as if Raito's safety was guaranteed.

It would be difficult to disappoint him.

**月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月**

I peeped down at the crumpled address - _Teru Mikami_'s house. He'd apparently been with Yagami-san's girlfriend, Takada-san, all evening. I'd already visited the distraught girl. She'd barely noticed Yagami-san's disappearance at the time, believing him to have left early; and now was extremely guilty. Mikami was her alibi, and she his; though neither of them fit the typical _'kidnapper'_ profile.

I tracked across the lawn, shaking snow from my shoulders. The sky was dark, ominous. Just like yesterday. And the day before. I missed the sun keenly, loathing this oppressive winter. My padded fingers burrowed into the Mikami's apartment button. His tense voice rang out in the numb frost. _"Yeah, this is Teru… who is this?"_

"Hello, I am Naomi Misora, I'm investigating the circumstances in which Raito Yagami disappeared. I was wondering if you'd talk to me about what happened from your perspective." I flicked shiny black hair into my hood, cuddling my body. He paused. Seconds past, snow piling on my shoulders. Why was he hesitating? Perhaps-

"_Uh, yeah. Just give me a minute. I need to get dressed."_

"Sure," I replied, brows furrowed suspiciously. That silence had seemed like more than embarrassment. Why wasn't he dressed at one in the afternoon? Perhaps-

I chuckled to myself. Could never shake my suspicious FBI nature. Silly, overwrought imagination. Mikami-san's voice crackled across to me.

"_Come up, the gate's open."_

"See you soon," I replied, boots trekking across the slippery snow. It was a brief walk to his apartment. Before long I was outside his door. I knocked briskly, hearing footsteps. Mikami-san opened the door, all pervious nerves gone. I'd imagined it, then. It wouldn't be the first time.

"Hi, Misora-san, come through… sorry about the mess, I wasn't expecting visitors!" He laughed charmingly, leading me into his completely spotless household. Unusual for a man in his twenties. I glanced around, noting nothing of importance, and trailed Mikami-san into a largish area, coated in beige carpet and cream walls. Two aesthetic, brown armchairs were in the centre, surrounding a flat screen television. Mikami slumped down into one of them, indicating for me to copy. "Sorry, I can't offer you coffee or tea, I forgot to buy some when I went shopping this morning." I removed my jacket, depositing it across my knees. The room was warm, more so than outside. I was too toasty in my insulated coverings.

"It's fine," I smiled pleasantly as he sat up. His hands rested against his knees, clasped together as he surveyed me. He was immaculately dressed for someone caught unprepared. His torso was clothed in a pin striped, buttoned up dress shirt, and grey slacks covered his legs. He was even wearing black socks. Why put on socks to greet an unexpected visitor? Especially in such a warm house. Strange. "So… is there anything in particular you want to know?"

"Just start from the beginning."

I always commenced with mandatory questions, it usually pacified witnesses. Though Mikami-san was already quite tranquil. I leafed through Yagami-san's file, pinpointing Mikami-san's previous statement.

"Well, I met Takada, who attends my university, at Misa Amane's party about thirty minutes in. So at ten thirty. She and I were talking when Raito Yagami approached us with alcohol-"

"Why wasn't Yagami-san with Takada-san?" He ran fingers through his hair, composed. Used to the interrogating?

"Takada said they'd divided up when she noticed me. Anyway, we were all conversing when Misa Amane approached. Misa apparently fancies herself in love with Raito, so he made a speedy departure. He shouted something, but I couldn't hear him. Then Takada and I danced. It wasn't until later that it registered Raito had never returned."

"What made you notice?" This question shocked him - his smile vanished, eyes widening. For good reason too, he hadn't elaborated this in the original statement.

"Well, I personally wasn't aware of it, but as the party was winding down – at around two – Takada exclaimed 'Where's Raito?' and well, it was inconceivable to not notice that." He chuckled, unperturbed that we were discussing a youth who'd been kidnapped and most likely murdered. It was distasteful. I nodded, lifting the corners of my lips. There was something _sour _about him. I couldn't place it, but it made my hairs prickle and spine stiffen.

"What did you do then?"

"We hunted around, Takada-san becoming more frantic. But his car was gone, so we surmised that he'd gone home. I then took Takada-san back to her apartment, and arrived here." He shrugged, leaning comfortably into the chair. I jotted this down beside the original statement. Though it was nothing unexpected.

"Do you have proof that you went straight home?" He instantly tensed, peering to my left before returning his gaze to me. Had I struck a nerve?

"Kenta, he's below me, and I had a conversation on his floor that night. He's my alibi." He began to fiddle with a small graphite pencil that had been resting on a side table. He was fidgety – desired for me to leave, perhaps. Best not delay too much. Though my intuition urged me to wait.

"Is there anything else?" I gnawed my lip, a bad habit I'd developed after a case, over five years ago. He shook his head, and I mopped sweat from my forehead with my fingers. He seemed uncomfortable as well. Why have the heat up so high?

"Do you mind… if I could use your bathroom?"

"Sure…" He appeared reluctant, it was compromising for me as well_._ Nevertheless, there was no harm in having a little _survey._ "It's down the corridor there, I'll be through here," he indicated vaguely, rising awkwardly. I peered down the steamy passage. The apartment was enormous, I was stunned he didn't have a roommate. How much did it _cost?_

"Do you like it hot?" I asked, astonishing both him and myself. His shoulders seized, nervous energy consuming him. "I uh, I was outside just before you came. It's cold out there so…" He lifted one shoulder, releasing it instantly then bustling off, out of sight. I frowned, moving through the wooden corridor toward a door clearly marked '_Toilet'_. But he hadn't been dressed? And he had no snow on him, wasn't even damp?

Was there more to Teru Mikami than I'd deduced? Maybe he _was _associated with Raito Yagami's 'disappearance'. I could just be paranoid… I should explore his alibi.

**月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月**

There was one more place to investigate – the last known whereabouts of Raito Yagami. It was evening when I arrived - the sky a hideous, threatening grey. I'd eaten dinner with Raye at a romantic French restaurant. Raye had been assigned to trail a few students that _A_ suspected. Strangely enough, he'd been following Sayu Yagami, Yagami-san's daughter. Raye believed _A_ was being utterly idiotic. I had more faith than he did.

I paused instantly, apprehensively, at the prison entrance.

It felt like… I was being _observed_.

I tucked my crimson fingers into heavy pockets, subconsciously shielding myself. My eyes snapped around in their sockets as I breathed deeply. I'd never been wrong with these instincts.

I walked purposefully forward, pivoting my neck at the sound of footsteps…

…_Behind me?_

There.

A black haired male was striding toward the gate, hands in his pockets. Hunched. A gigantic white shirt masked his torso, ripped virtually all over. There were blooming bruises down his arms. I flinched. Abuse? Or a _gruesome_ fight? He appeared to be under seventeen – however that could be due to his oversized outfit and apparent malnourishment.

"Hey!" I shouted, rotating, jogging to catch him.

He ignored me, angling away. I scowled.

The sky poured forth its freezing contents.

Rain slithered down my skin.

I ran, my hand out. He stumbled along swiftly. Turning the corner.

_Dammit!_

He'd vanished by the time I reached it, of course.

Hidden in the hazy rain.

Who _was_ that child? What was he doing here? Why didn't he _listen_?

_Guilty conscience?_

I sighed, kicking at snow, yanking my hood further over my features.

Why did it feel like he was _important_ to this case?


	9. Chapter Eight: Massacure

**AN: **Yay, 20 reviews! I just want to say thank you to everyone who has taken time out of their day to review this fic, it really means a lot to me! And a special thank you to Zena Silverwing whose reviews always make me smile 3

**Restraint**

**Chapter Eight: Massacre**

Brother has been consorting often with Matt. Too often. Matt's been _stuffing _brother with disgusting _homosexual_ ideas. Matt believed I hadn't observed his and Blondie's relationship_. _I'd discerned them performing _sinful _actions at least twice before, brother even more so. Brother didn't think it was wrong.

That was Matt's influence.

I stilled - voices around the corner, in the sleeping room. Sometimes Matt, Blondie and Girly slept here. They had homes to return to. Brother and I slept there every night and most mornings. We scavenged for food in the afternoon and evening. There were people searching for us now. There were images of us on televisions. I _wouldn't _let them take brother.

"_Mmm… not now Mello."_

I heard Matt's soft, virtually inaudible groans, and suppressed a shudder. Brother was here too. He'd better not have seen. He'd taken to _watching _them occasionally, it was extremely _sick. _

Matt's fault.

"_Why not now? I wanna _now!_"_

"_Ryuuga's skulking 'round here somewhere. You know how he gets…" _I peered around, ears perking at my name. They talked about me? Blondie was perched on the faded green couch that we usually habituated, a breathless Matt beneath him. I blanched, withdrawing my burning eyes. Brother wasn't there – not that I could see.

"_Who the fuck cares 'bout some psychotic brat?"_

"_Me. Stop _it_ Mello! Plus if Hideki sees… you know what Ryuuga'll do to him."_ I tiptoed into the room, glancing at the couch in distaste. They'd rearranged now, Mello leaning comfortably next to Matt. Cuddling into his chest. Someone should _destroy_ them. I sneered, remembering my mur- kill. I could assassinate them. But not yet. _No_, not yet.

Soon.

"_He's absolutely insane. 'Ave you seen how he commands the mini brat? I saw 'im lock Hideki in the fridge once. Told 'im he couldn't come out until he obeyed. Disgusting."_

I rolled my fiendish pupils. They didn't _understand_. None of them understand. Not mother, not father. Not Near. Not _them._

Brother _must _obey. He _had _to. And if he didn't… My hands tingled pleasurably. Then he'd _pay_.

"_Yeah. It's like Hideki's a pet. I'm astonished he doesn't physically _hit_ him. Guess Ryuuga has _some _self restraint."_

"_Psh. I wou-"_

I tuned them out. They weren't important – I'd sighted my disobedient brother. He was concealed in one of the tattered cupboards strewn around the room, peeping out at the two boys; soft lips agape in scandalous fascination, cheeks stained with scarlet. Bad, _bad _boy.

He hadn't perceived me, was still surveying delightedly. I edged closer, scrutinising the two boys. They'd stopped talking now. Matt's fingers were running contentedly through Blondie's tresses. Surprised he wasn't a girl really, with hair as _silky _as that. Perhaps he used to be.

Brother's thumb was resting soothingly on his bottom lip, tugging at the skin. He'd picked the habit up from me – it was my _thinking face._ Thief.

He blinked.

I struck.

I covered his mouth with my fingers, preventing him from alerting _them_.

He struggled, tears already sliding like moonlit icicles down his pert cheeks.

I giggled passionately, nails clawing into his delicate skin as his body writhed, resistant to my command_._

This had become somewhat of an _obsession _for me. Restraining him. Observing him powerless under _my _control. Thrills trilled through my brain, my mouth sliding into a small, _deranged_, smile. It wasn't normal, I knew. But I wasn't normal – I was extremely _brilliant_. So brilliant that an orphanage for intelligent children had attempted to recruit my brothers and I. That's why we left England. So we wouldn't be taken.

They should've left us there.

I wrenched brother from his hiding place, his body feeble compared to my _omnipotent_ strength. I sighed, satisfied, and hauled him from the room.

It was afternoon. The sun was soon to set. We had to go _hunting._

**月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月**

I breathed in the fresh evening air with relish. I'd been stuck in my musty office for _hours. _Actually doing work! _Work_! It was wicked, the way Wedy was locking me in there, all for two little brats. After they'd executed a child trafficker, the Chief of Police had been outraged. I'd been officially assigned the case – but that was weeks ago. These two were clever. But I wasn't worried – I _would_ win_._

I'd had a call from an affronted police officer. Apparently, about an hour ago, a little black haired brat had kicked him when he'd been questioned, and then fled. It was a gamble – but given Lawliet and his brother's obvious dislike for authority, it was my only chance.

It had occurred not too far from where I'd sighted Lawliet at the lolly shop. Which made it all the more likely that it was them – or maybe less likely. Would such an intelligent pair believe it safe to stay in the area?

Who knows.

Currently, I was loitering near a dimly lit Western Restaurant, tucked into a revolting alleyway. If I was lucky, the children would be sticking to uncrowded areas in order to stay unnoticed – their images had been plastered across every news channel in Tokyo. There was even a reward on their heads. I was hoping to cash in and buy Wedy a lifetime supply of instant Ramen.

I chuckled to myself, leaning on the rotting bricks. My shivering fingers safely tucked away in toasty pockets. It'd been a rough winter. It should've been spring by now, but Yuuki-Ona was still roaming the heartless mountains preying on the old and weak; and Jack Frost still sticking to many a frostbitten corpse. Two boys had been sighted here once, by an elderly lady, and I was hoping this was a regular haunt.

"_Stay behind me. Don't talk. Disobey and I'll _hurt _you."_

_English?_ I stiffened, grey coat blending me into the wall. Could it be?

Two boys edged past my alleyway. One was huddling meekly behind the other, safely tucked into his shadow. They both had snow-coated hair, their skin as white and delicate as alabaster. They were tiny. Just the right age for my brothers.

I stepped out of the lane, before them. I couldn't see their irises, couldn't distinguish between the two. But it didn't matter – I could figure out which was the leader later.

They glanced up with twin expressions of shock.

"Hello there Lawliet and Beyond-" They were the right pair, the one behind gasped, "-I've heard all about how smart you two are. The smartest thing to do now would be to come with me. I'm Aiber. I met you before, haven't I, Lawliet? You remember me. Come on, there's no poi-"

They bolted, breakneck, back down the frozen street, slipping and sliding away from me. I shrugged, smirking.

They could run – I had larger legs.

I jogged behind the fleeing children. They were careless, dashing into a more populated district, one I was very familiar with.

I gripped my phone, puffing softly in the bright, artificial streetlights, and called for reinforcements. Best to be prepared. Not that there children were particularly dangerous. I had my suspicions about them causing the death of that trafficker.

Anyhow. They wouldn't hurt me.

**月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月**

_NonononoNO!_

This was all _brother's_ fault! He begged to come back here, to the _yummy_ western food place. I had listened to him! And _now _look. They were gonna get us. They were gonna separate us. I _HATE _him.

I could hear him _sobbing_ ahead of me. He knew that he'd done _wrong_. He knew this was all _his_ fault. I spat on the ground. It was time for me to take control. I had a plan. A risky one, but a plan nonetheless. I diverted down an alley, grabbing brother by his padded sleeve, yanking the breath from his lungs menacingly.

I could hear the rhythmic _thump thump thump_ of Aiber behind us. He was right – there was no use in running, not unless we could daze him. Do something that he won't suspect. I had _just_ the thing in mind.

I pulled brother into a crowded, family themed street. Further and further from our hiding place. No point in going there now. It would only lead him to our home. I had a much better destination in mind. People screeched as we whipped by, my hands eagerly shoving them into each other, causing confusion. Brother was trailing behind now, breathless. I gripped tightly onto his wrist, and he screeched in pain.

Aiber increased his pace. We hadn't lost him yet.

Hopefully we wouldn't.

**月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月**

"Yeah, see you soon, Wedy!" I shouted, voice barely audible in the panic. The kids were clever, attempting to loose me in all the people. But I'd been trained for situations like this, and I could easily slip between crowds. Go unnoticed. Wedy was a master at concealment, and I'd been stealing her ideas for years.

"_AIBER! Hey, hey Aiber!"_

_Mikami?_

I turned, and sighted him with his mother. Mikami was smitten with me. He preferred me to his father, and constantly came to harass me at work. I welcomed it. He and his ideals were more thrilling than my job.

Perhaps I should've become a babysitter.

"Hey kid, can't stop, gotta catch someone!" I yelled, waving slightly at his bewildered expression. The brothers had incited a young child, and its wailing prevented all communication.

"_Wai-"_

I turned as Mikami extracted himself from his mother's grasp. He wouldn't follow me. I was much to stealthy to be stalked by a 1-something-year-old. I discerned the brothers duck into a deserted alleyway.

I still had it.

**月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月**

We were nearly there, and Aiber was sprinting behind us. Good. I could set my plan in motion. I breathed deeply, the salty air stinging my burning lungs. Brother was coughing beside me, unable to keep up. He was so pathetic. Why _didn't _I annihilate him? He deserved to _die_.

Snow poured from the sky as I glimpsed rough waves rasping unharmoniously on unyielding boats.

_Yes._

I darted to an abandoned warehouse, lugging brother behind me, thrusting him onto the door. We strained against it, fingers shivering on the glacial metal. Aiber was closing in.

_Thump, thump. Thump, thump. _

The door creaked open. Sea salt had made it weak. We darted into the damp, musty silence, glancing around for camouflage. Cranes loomed above us, gaping ghastly. Beams swung sinisterly, _otherworldly_. Brother shivered in fright.

_Perfect._

I crept over to a dim storage box as Aiber strode through the entrance. I fixed my palm over brother's mouth, stifling his rapid breaths, calming my own. No need to alert Aiber so soon. Let him _fear_ first.

His footsteps quietened, his breathing as fast as brothers. I crouched, transfixed, as he shuffled closer. Brother moaned into me, quivering like an apprehensive bunny_._ _Piteous_.

"_I know you're in here."_

His voice rang in the dank serenity. Rats squeaked in terror, and I blanched as they scuttled over my feet. I _loathed _rats. Brother shoved his nails into the crate, attempting to pull himself away from me, but I held him tighter and _tighter_ until he was motionless.

"_You could make this a lot easier if you just came with me. There's no other way out. Just this door. C'mon. Lawliet, you trust me right? I gave you a humbug… how about you repay me?"_

Was that a tinge of anxiety in his voice? I chuckled diabolically, _psychotically_. The sound echoed, and little brother snivelled. Aiber pivoted toward the noise, snorting in triumph.

It was time.

I tossed brother down, divulging myself to the _victorious_ Aiber. Oh yes, he'd _captured_ us. His pupils shined with joy as he scuttled toward me.

"Given up, have you? Goo-"

The words caught – a strangled noise. An _exciting _noise. I quivered, fingers resting on the hard, iniquitous, _obvious_ gun.

His hands instantly raised. I smiled. He stepped backward.

He'd thought I was a mere _child_, that I wouldn't hurt him.

He hadn't armed himself.

Idiot_._

"_Don't!" _

I growled as my brother screeched, gripping my arm. Aiber exhaled. I cocked the gun at him. Brother tried to yank it from my fingers. I kicked his leg, delighting in his torturous squeal.

"_Don't_ tell me what to do." I hissed, disregarding his heart-wrenching weeping. This man was trying to separate us. He _needed _to die.

Brother wailed, and Aiber comforted him in a low, fatherly voice. Shocking him into silence. He missed father. Aiber was reminding him of things that saddened him. I would show _no_ mercy.

"Any last words?" I asked casually, gun now pointing to Aiber's chest. The man turned pale, beads of sweat dribbling down his forehead. I giggled. Brother curled into a ball.

"You don't want to do this," Aiber murmured, somewhat shakily, slipping closer to me. "They're going to put you in jail if you murder me. They're going to separate you and take you _far_ away from each other."

I stood motionless. He continued with more fervour.

"That's right. But, if you just come with me now, _quietly_, I'll tell them this was all a big mistake… So put down the gun, and let me deal with this, okay?"

He was _lying_.

But brother believed him.

"P-Put the gun down, like he says… I d-don't wanna loose you."

He spoke softly, his voice raspy. Brother didn't speak often. He crawled toward me _ominously_.

Had he chosen this _beast's _side?

"_No!" _I snapped. Brother shook. Wet and hopeless and _weak._ He knew there was _no_ stopping me. I'd made my mind up.

This man was to _die._

"Whoa, whoa, you should listen to you bro-"

"_Aiber? Aiber, you in here?" _

Wait_…_

He hadn't been trying to convince me. He'd been _stalling. _Stalling so his _abhorrent _friends would come and _save _him.

_And capture us!_

Aiber swore, turning around to the door.

Angry? Why was he _angry_? He should be _triumphant_.

Then I regarded Aiber's mystery saviour. A little boy, the same age as me. I chuckled, and the kid paused, glancing at Aiber from behind frosty glasses.

"Mikami… Don't move. Just back out. _Back out now!_"

"No." I shouted, and the boy stared at me in horror. Surges of _power_ jolted through me. "I'll only let one of you walk through that door. You, _Aiber_, or your little friend there. You've got _one_ choice and _one_ minute. Choose, Aiber, or I'll _massacre_ you both."

My monotonous voice reverberated, masking the light chatter of rats . Brother was crouched beside me, rocking, peeking out from behind his hands. Crying _no, no, no_. Aiber stood paralysed, eyes absorbing Mikami's. He knew there was no guarantee that if he sacrificed himself I wouldn't assassinate the boy. Mikami was no threat to me, though. If I _eliminated_ Aiber I would only have one shot left. I would have to save it. _Guard_ it.

"Kill me." Aiber's voice was soft, and he flinched as Mikami and my brother screeched. I shrugged, leering at him. He positioned himself between Mikami and my gun. "As soon as you hear the shot, Mikami, _run_. Just _run_. And keep running. My friends will be here soon, and they'll catch this _bastard_ and put him in jail. Okay?"

Mikami bawled. I pouted at the use of '_bastard'_. Really, I wasn't _all_ that bad. It was his fault anyway. _He_ was the bastard. Trying to separate us.

Oh well.

_**BANG.**_

Brother dived at me.

He was too late.

I laughed breathlessly as the bullet connected with Aiber's chest.

As he fell to the ground.

As he uttered his last, blood drenched breath.

It was time for us to leave. Mikami had already fled. I gripped brother's arm. But he _fought _me. He bolted toward Aiber's convulsing body.

I seized him by his tartan coat. He yelped. I dragged him downward.

He screamed and screamed and _screamed._

I jumped on top of him. He wouldn't run away from me. He _couldn't _run away from me. Then I'd be alone. All _alone_. I would _not _let him leave me!

"_I hate you!" _He screeched into my face as I clutched his fingers. "You don't mean that." I whispered huskily into his ears, nuzzling my face into his hair, "You love me."

He clenched his eyelids, attempting to flip me over. "Stop it." I growled, nose touching his. He tried again.

I threaded my fingers through his oily hair and _pulled_.

He cried and moaned and _howled_, but I didn't respond.

"No…" He muttered, searching for pity in my dispassionate orbs. There was none. I sneered, jerking again, and he collapsed.

"_Aiber?"_

A female voice this time. I glanced down at Aiber. Unmoving, face concealed in the dust and grime of the warehouse. _Dead_.

_Fwip Fwip Fwip Fwip Fwip!_

_Helicopters? _

I ignored brother, concentrating.

_No_!

I could hear their blades, spinning, _twirling_ outside the warehouse. I hadn't foreseen this. We were _trapped _if they'd surrounded the perimeter. My muscles stiffened. _Sirens. _I could hear _sirens _now.

_Wee-ooh wee-ooh. _

Not the police. No…

Brother quietened as I rolled off him, huddling behind the crate as a woman entered. I didn't know if there were other exits. I didn't know that Aiber would go to such lengths. Had they found out about my first kill? _No!_

"_Oh my God! Aiber!" _

She rushed toward us. I tugged brother further into the building. He resisted at first. But I yanked harder, and he complied in silence.

The building was dark. Too dark. I could hear water sloshing, dripping.

_Drip. Drip. Drip. _

We moved further in, past the cranes and their gaping mouths, closer to the sea. I was hoping for a door. A loose plank. _Anything _to get us out of here alive.

"_Wedy-sama? Are you in here?"_

"_Over here… I need a paramedic. Quickly! Aiber's not breathing!" _

"_Yes ma'am!" _

Their voices made me jittery with anxiety. Was Aiber _right_? Would they separate us because I _destroyed_ him? It was self-defence. Brother would vouch for me. My fingers moved from brother's hair and into his little hand. I squeezed it, but he didn't return the gesture. He would soon though, when he realised he had no one left.

No one but _me_.

"_Light up the warehouse. Torches, lamps, anything. His killer could be in here."_

I froze, snuggling brother. _No._ If they lit up the warehouse, we'd be found easily. There weren't enough crates. There'd be no shadows to lurk in.

"_Yes ma'am."_

I dashed from the voices, into the void. It was dangerous. I couldn't _see_.

They brought light.

There were thousands, _millions _of voices, of echoes. Crowding my mind. Disrupting my thoughts.

Brother tripped. Shrieked.

The voices stopped, the echoes calmed.

Tranquillity reigned.

Light shined upon us, a woman with hair as blonde as Mello's peered into the darkness.

And spotted brother.

"No!" I howled, scaring her. I hauled brother closer by his neck, listening to his hoarse breaths.

Police jogged toward us, illuminating us both.

The blonde woman snickered, eyes tainted with bloodlust.

I rose the gun. The smile dropped.

"_Don't even try to execute me like you did Aiber. I've got backup. We'd get you first."_

"I wasn't planning on it," I muttered breathily, delighting in her perplexed expression.

It cleared when I pointed the gun at brother's head.

**月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月とエルと月**

**AN: **Mini~poll: Which brother is which? :3


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